Why animals have Tail? Importance of Tail
The TAIL is the section at the rear end of various kinds of animal’s bodies. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles and birds. Tailed objects are sometimes referred to as “caudate” and the part of the body associated with or proximal to the tail are given the adjective “caudal”.
There are various reasons why many animals have a tail .Tail provide a source of locomotion for fish and some other forms of marine life. Many land animals use their tails to brush away flies and other biting insects. Most canines use their tails for reproduction. Some animals use their tails for balance like cats and kangaroos and some of them use tail to grasp tree branches like monkeys and opossums.
Tails are also used for social signaling. Some animals flash the white underside of their tails to warn other nearby animals of possible danger like beavers slap the water with their tails to indicate danger.
Tails cast in this manner generally grow back over time, though the replacement is typically darker in colour than the original and contains only cartilage, not bone.
Most birds’ tails end in long feathers called rectrices. These feathers are used as a rudder, helping the bird steer and maneuver in flight; they also help the bird to balance while it is perched. The extra-stiff tail feathers of other species, including woodpeckers and woodcreepers, allow them to brace themselves firmly against tree trunks. Most of the animals like horses are used tails as both to sweep away insects and positioned or moved in ways that indicate the animal’s physical or emotional state.
Tails serve different purposes for different groups of animals, and animals with tails have evolved structures and behaviors to maximize this part of their body. Tails also serve as energy stores and disposable parts: skinks and many other lizard species can voluntarily release their tail when a predator chomps onto it, and they can regenerate their tails later. The colorful tail feathers of male like birds-of-paradise, peacocks, help to attract their females.
