Why do animals have tails?

There are many reasons why many animals have tails. One answer is that some kind of tail helps different kinds of animals—whether insects, fish, lizards, mammals, etc.—survive long enough to reproduce successfully. Invoking natural selection as an answer may seem rather predictable, but it's certainly true.

The tail serves different purposes for different animal groups, and animals with tails have evolved structures and behaviors to maximize the use of this part of the body. For example, insect tails serve as stingers, chemical weapons launchers, ovipositors, whips, and flight stabilizers, among many other uses. In vertebrates, thetail is designed primarily for locomotion and balance. For example, the tails of fish and crocodiles sweep back and forth, propelling these animals forward through the water. The tail also serves as an energy storage and disposable component: Skinks and many other lizard species can voluntarily release their tails when predators bite them, and they can regenerate their tails later. The largest sauropods (dinosaurs that walked on four legs) had long tails to balance the weight of their long necks. A bird's tail and wings work together to help the bird avoid falling from the sky, and the colorful tail feathers of male birds of paradise, turkeys, peacocks and other birds help attract females. Some mammals, such as squirrels and some monkeys, use their tails as prehensile limbs to move through the woods.

animal tags：