Editing Prehensile tail

{{Short description|Tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp or hold objects}}
[[File:Howler monkey tail (60097).jpg|thumb|The prehensile-tail of a [[mantled howler]] monkey]]
A '''prehensile tail''' is the tail of an animal that has [[Adaptation (biology)|adapted]] to grasp or hold objects.<ref name="Flagle1998">{{Cite book | last = Fleagle | first = J. G. | publisher = Academic Press | title = Primate Adaptation and Evolution | edition = 2nd | year = 1998 | isbn = 978-0-12-260341-9 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/primateadaptatio0000flea/page/172 172] | url = https://archive.org/details/primateadaptatio0000flea/page/172 }}</ref> Fully [[Prehensility|prehensile]] tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees. If the tail cannot be used for this it is considered only partially prehensile; such tails are often used to anchor an animal's body to dangle from a [[branch]], or as an aid for climbing. The term ''prehensile'' means "able to grasp" (from the Latin ''prehendere'', to take hold of, to grasp).<ref name="Roze2012">{{Cite book |last=Roze |first=U. |title=Porcupines: The Animal Answer Guide |publisher=JHU Press |year=2012 |isbn=9781421407357 |pages=32}}</ref>

==Evolution==

One point of interest is the distribution of animals with prehensile tails. The prehensile tail is predominantly a [[New World]] adaptation, especially among mammals.<ref name="Flagle1998" /> Many more animals in [[South America]] have prehensile tails than in [[Africa]] and Southeast Asia. It has been argued that animals with prehensile tails are more common in South America because the [[forest]] there is denser than in Africa or Southeast Asia.<ref name="Organ2008">{{Cite book | title = The Functional Anatomy of Prehensile and Nonprehensile Tails of the Platyrrhini (Primates) and Procyonidae (Carnivora) | last = Organ | first = J. M. | publisher = Johns Hopkins University | year = 2008 | isbn = 9780549312260}}</ref> In contrast, less dense forests such as in Southeast Asia have been observed to have more abundant [[flying and gliding animals|gliding animals]] such as [[colugo]]s or [[flying snake]]s; few gliding vertebrates are found in South America. South American rainforests also differ by having more [[liana]]s, as there are fewer large animals to eat them than in Africa and Asia; the presence of lianas may aid climbers but obstruct gliders.<ref name="rainforest">{{cite web | url = http://www.szgdocent.org/resource/ff/f-rain1a.htm | title = Life in the Rainforest | access-date = 2006-04-15 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060506160044/http://www.szgdocent.org/resource/ff/f-rain1a.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-05-06}}</ref> Curiously, [[Australia-New Guinea]] contains many [[mammal]]s with prehensile tails and also many mammals which can glide; in fact, all Australian mammalian gliders have tails that are prehensile to an extent.

==Anatomy and physiology==

Tails are mostly a feature of [[vertebrate]]s; however, some [[invertebrate]]s such as [[scorpion]]s also have [[appendage]]s that can be considered tails. However, only vertebrates are known to have developed prehensile tails. Many mammals with prehensile tails will have a bare patch to aid gripping. This bare patch is known as a "friction pad".

==Animals with fully prehensile tails==

===Fish===
*[[Seahorses]]. Seahorses have fully prehensile tails, which they use to attach themselves to objects such as seagrass, algae, sponges, corals, or even man-made objects.

===Mammals===
[[File:Tamandua anteater Costa Rica.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A [[northern tamandua]] (''[[Tamandua mexicana]]'') making use of its prehensile tail]]
*[[Binturong]]. One of the few [[Old World]] animals with fully prehensile tails, although they use only the tip of the tail.
*[[Eurasian harvest mouse|Harvest mouse]]. Another Old World mammal, the [[Eurasian harvest mouse|harvest mouse]] (''Micromys minutus'') also has a fully prehensile tail. It is commonly found amongst areas of tall grasses such as cereal crops (particularly wheat and oats), roadside verges, hedgerows, reedbeds, dykes and salt-marshes.
*[[Tree pangolin]]. One of the few Old World mammals with a fully prehensile tail.
*''[[Microgale longicaudata]]'', an arboreal species of the [[Tenrec|tenrec family]].
*[[Platypus]]. The semi-aquatic [[monotreme]] found in [[Australia]]. Much the same as Opossums, Platypuses gather leaves to line their nests, using their tails to carry the materials they've collected.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQryoS-t45g&feature=youtu.be |title=Baby Platypus Caught on Camera |date=2023-10-09 |last=Nature on PBS |access-date=2024-08-17 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
*[[New World monkey]]s. Many New World monkeys in the family [[Atelidae]], which includes [[howler monkey]]s, [[spider monkey]]s and [[woolly monkey]]s, have grasping tails often with a bare [[tactile pad]]. This is in contrast with their distant [[Old World monkey]] cousins who do not have prehensile tails.<ref name="Flagle1998" />
*[[New World porcupine]]s of the genera ''[[Coendou]]'' and ''[[Chaetomys]]'' have fully prehensile tails that help them to climb and prevent them from falling from trees.<ref name="Roze2012" />
*[[Opossum]]. A [[marsupial]] group from the New World. Native to the [[Americas]], the tail is occasionally used as a grip to carry bunches of leaves or bedding materials to the nest.<ref name="GonzálezClaramunt2000">{{cite journal|last1=González|first1=E.M.|last2=Claramunt|first2=S.|title=Behaviors of captive short-tailed Opossums, ''Monodelphis dimidiata'' (Wagner, 1847) (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)|journal=Mammalia|volume=64|issue=3|year=2000|pages=271–286 |doi=10.1515/mamm.2000.64.3.271|s2cid=84782113}}</ref>
*[[Anteater]]s. Anteaters are found in Central and South America. Three of the four species of anteater, the silky anteater and the two species of tamandua, have prehensile tails.
*[[Kinkajou]]. The kinkajou of South and Central America is the only other animal of the order [[Carnivora]], besides the binturong, to sport the adaptation.<ref name="Organ2008" />

==Animals with partially prehensile tails==

===Mammals===
*[[New World monkey]]s. The [[capuchin monkey]]. The capuchin is more than intelligent enough to make full use of its prehensile tail, but since the tail lacks an area of bare skin for a good grip it is only used in climbing and dangling. Other reasons for partial prehensility might include the lack of strength or flexibility in the tail, or simply having no need to manipulate objects with it.
*[[New World porcupine|Tree porcupines]]. The 15 species of tree porcupine (genus ''[[Coendou]]''). They are found in South America, with one species extending to Mexico. All have prehensile tails.
*[[Rat]]s have been known to be able to wrap the tail around an object after running around it, therefore giving the creature a small bit of balance. They have also been seen to be able to briefly hang off an object, though not for long.
*[[Phalangeriformes|Possums]]. This large, diverse group of 63 species forms the marsupial suborder [[Phalangeriformes]], found in Australia, [[New Guinea]], and some nearby islands. All members of the suborder have prehensile tails; however, the tails of some members such as the [[Acrobatidae]] have only limited prehensile capacity. Notably, all three marsupial glider groups belong to this suborder.
*[[Potoroidae]]. A marsupial group found in Australia that includes the [[bettongs]] and the [[potoroo]]s. They have weakly prehensile tails.
*[[Monito del monte]]. A small South American marsupial with a prehensile tail.

===Reptiles===
[[File:Ramon Crater chameleon.jpg|thumb|right|185px| [[Chamaeleo chamaeleon|Mediterranean chameleon]] using its prehensile tail]]
*[[Prehensile-tailed skink]]. Several kinds of [[skink]] (e.g. ''[[Corucia zebrata]]'') have partially prehensile tails.<ref name="Badger2006">{{Cite book | title = Lizards: A Natural History of Some Uncommon Creatures - Extraordinary Chameleons, Iguanas, Geckos, and More | last = Badger | first = D. P. | publisher = Voyageur Press | year = 2006 | isbn = 9781610604406}}</ref>
*[[Chameleon]]s.
*[[Snake]]s. Many snakes have prehensile tails (or a prehensile body)
*[[Rhacodactylus|Crested gecko and their relatives]] have prehensile tails
*Alligator lizard. Some alligator lizards such as the [[southern alligator lizard]], the [[Texas alligator lizard]], and the [[Abronia (lizard)|arboreal alligator lizard]]s (genus ''[[Abronia (lizard)|Abronia]]'') have prehensile tails.
*[[Big-headed turtle]], and juvenile specimens of the family [[Chelydridae]].
*''[[Rasmussen's gecko|Urocoyledon rasmusseni]]''<ref name="Naish2008">{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=D. |year=2008 |title=Chinese black rhinos and deinotheres, giant sengis, and yet more new lemurs |url=http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/03/20/giant-sengis/ |access-date=2013-04-12 |publisher=[[ScienceBlogs]]}}</ref>

===Amphibians===

*[[Salamander]]s. A number of North American forest-dwelling [[climbing salamander]]s have prehensile tails that help them climb. Some are from the genus [[Aneides]] such as the [[clouded salamander]] (''Aneides ferreus''), the [[wandering salamander]] (''Aneides vagrans''), and the [[arboreal salamander]] (''Aneides lugubris''). Others are the large [[Red Hills salamander]] (''Phaeognathus hubrichti'') and the [[Spotted-tail salamander|cave salamander]] (''Eurycea lucifuga''). There are also the Central American ''[[Bolitoglossa sombra]]'' and Mexican and Central American ''[[Bolitoglossa mexicana]]'' salamanders.

===Fish===

*[[Syngnathidae]]. Many species from this group, which includes [[seahorse]]s<ref name = "Rosamond Gifford Zoo">{{cite web | author = Rosamond Gifford Zoo Volunteers | title = Lined Seahorse | date = July 23, 2005 | url = http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/LinedSeahorse.pdf}}</ref> and [[pipefish]], have prehensile tails.

==References==
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==External links==
*[http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0408.htm Canopy life]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060506160044/http://www.szgdocent.org/resource/ff/f-rain1a.htm More on canopy life]

[[Category:Vertebrate anatomy]]