Change in take-off elevation angle after limb autotomy mitigates the reduction in jumping distance in rice grasshoppersOxya yezoensis

2013

Autotomy is the ability to spontaneously self-amputate a limb or other appendage, often as a reflexive action. This limb amputation typically occurs as a specialized defensive response to an attack from a predator and thereby enables the prey to escape from predation. Despite the benefits of escape, autotomized organisms lose the body part and its associated function. Here, we investigated the jumping behavior and performance of one-leg-autotomized and intact rice grasshoppers, Oxya yezoensis, to examine changes in jumping behavior after autotomy. The take-off elevation of autotomized grasshoppers was 7.8° lower than in intact grasshoppers, resulting in nearly a 45° angle of take-off, which…