Alligators can regrow tails? Yes, and it can help them in murky waters, study finds
Alligators can grow back their tails, and that may help the massive reptiles thrive in murky waters, a new study finds.
The findings have the potential to offer insight into treatments for injured humans, according to research published in November in the journal Scientific Reports.
To come up with the results, Arizona State University and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries researchers say they studied samples from four young American alligators. The animals had died after living in the wild.
Researchers found alligators that lost their tails were able to regrow new ones spanning up to 18% of their total body lengths. Though the regenerated parts didn’t have skeletal muscles, tails are considered important for the animals’ movement and roles as predators, scientists say.
“They speculate that regrowing their tails gives the alligators a functional advantage in their murky aquatic habitats,” Arizona State said in a news release.
The research comes after scientists had little information about regrowing alligator tails, according to the release. While smaller reptiles such as lizards were known to have the capability, gators have much longer bodies.
American alligators can be up to 15 feet long and weigh 1,000 pounds, according to National Geographic. The species is found in lakes, swamps and other water-filled habitats in the southeastern United States.
Researchers say the recent findings about the reptiles raises questions about evolution because the bodies of birds and mammals can’t regenerate complex tissues. Studying the differences in reptiles may provide clues for therapies that people with arthritis or injuries can use, according to scientists.
“We know that humans — who are incapable of regenerating — have the same cells and pathways being used to regenerate in these other animals,” Jeanne Wilson-Rawls, co-senior study author of the study and an associate professor at Arizona State’s School of Life Sciences, told CNN. “If this very large long-limbed animal has this ability, can we take advantage of this to help people who have lost limbs or burn victims who need skin regeneration?”
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Alligators can regrow tails? Yes, and it can help them in murky waters, study finds."
