Figure 3
From: Caudal autotomy as anti-predatory behaviour in Palaeozoic reptiles
Hypothesized path of autotomy break in the caudal centra of captorhinids. (a–c) Lateral, anterior, and ventral views of a fracture plane-bearing caudal centrum, showing the extend of the fracture plane, which does not pass through the neural arch or spine (ROM 73774). (d,e) SEM images of a post mortem break in a captorhinid caudal vertebra (ROM 77409) along its fracture plane. The break follows the plane of weakness formed by the autotomy plane (white arrow) and is found on the left (d) and right (e) sides, suggesting that this was the plane of weakness in life. (f) Reconstruction of caudal autotomy in a caudal vertebra. During autotomy, the fracture follows the path of least resistance through the dorsal half of the caudal centrum and the posterior base of the neural arch, bypassing the neural spine. Abbreviation: na, neural arch; nc, neural canal; ns, neural spine; ntc, notochordal canal. Anterior is to the left in all of the images.
