Tegus can lose their tail spontaneously as a defense mechanism to save their lives. Thsi capacity is known as autotomy. Lizards have areas between the vertebrae with weaknesses and speciiic muscular adaptations which let the tail come off without losing fluids. The tail regrows, but not as it was. The new tail is a cartilaginous appendix without scales and vertebrae. It may ocurr a fork-like tail