sscientists have tailed animal fossils found dating back hundreds of millions of years. At that time, early fishes used them fan tail Fin to. In form of swim through the oceans And avoid the predators.
as these fish developed In land-dwelling creatures, their tails also began to change.
Whether they are related to reptiles, insects, birds or mammals, tails serve a variety of purposes. Modern animals use their tails for everything from balance to communication and finding mates.
a balance and movement aid
Scientists believe dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex, rotated their tails side to side for balance His heavy head and body while walking on two legs. This movement allowed them to run fast enough to catch their prey.
Similarly, current kangaroos use their tails for balance when they leap across open land. But they don’t just use it as a balance for their weight – kangaroo tail Also acts as a powerful third leg which can help propel them through the air.
Cats and other animals that climb, often have bushy or long tails help them balanceLike a stern walker holding a long stick.
monkeys use their long tail for balance While swinging through forest tree branches, many have foreskin, or grasping, tail which act like hands and allow them to grasp the limbs of the tree.
These tails are so strong that they can even hold animal while feeding Fruits and leaves.
a defensive mechanism
The tails of other animals evolved into weapons. For example, Stingray has a trademark bite tail They can use that as a defense when a predator attacks them.
Venomous rattlesnakes have buttons of dry skin on their tails that make a racquet when they Shake it up, This warns any animal that may threaten the rattlesnake that it is getting ready to strike.
Many insects also have tails, but they are developed differently from other animals with backbones, such as fish and mammals. Most tailed insects use their tails to lay eggs or to sting and paralyze a host or prey. In some animals, like wasps, their tail can do bothBecause some parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside a host.
North American bison and grazing animals such as wildebeest and giraffe in Africa have tails with long tufts of hair that can be forgiven as a whiskey To drive away mosquitoes and other insects that may bother them. domestic cows and horses also have that kind of tail,
a communication aid
Birds use their feathered tail to balance and reduce drag while perched on a tree limb while flying, Some birds also use their tails as a mating display.
This visual performance is most notable species like turkey And PeacockMale turkeys and peacocks will flaunt their colorful tail feathers to attract female mates.
Animals that live and hunt in groups or herds like wolves are different types. make use of tail position to indicate their rank.
Dogs descended from wolves also use them. ask for communication, You’ve probably seen dogs wagging their tails when they are excited,
why don’t you have one
Even though humans don’t have long gripping tails like monkeys, or lively feathered tails like peacocks, our ancestors had tails,
Scientists Think Those Tails Disappeared From Our Human Ancestors 20 million years ago, Once they started walking straight, they no longer need tail Now to help balance.
Michael A LittleProfessor Emeritus of Anthropology, Binghamton University, State University of New York
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