Why does tail loss increase a lizard's later vulnerability to snake predators?

We examined how autotomy-induced shifts in behavior of a diurnal lizard (La mpropholis guichenoti) and two natural snake predators influence the outcom e of predatory interactions. During staged encounters in seminatural enclos ures, we estimated the consumption order of lizards with recently autotomis ed tails ("tailless") and intact tails ("tailed"). Tail loss increased a li zard's chances of being consumed first by a diurnal snake (Demansia psammop his). but not by a nocturnal species (Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens). We pres ented snakes with an inert tailed lizard vs, tailless lizard, scoring which was consumed first. Neither predator actively selected tailless prey. We q uantified variation in the behavior of tailed and tailless lizards that det ermines the outcome of predator-prey interactions. Tailless lizards were no t easier to detect visually or via chemoreception than were tailed lizards. Instead, the higher consumption rate of tailless lizards by the diurnal sn ake probably reflects reduced locomotor performance, and their tendency to flee sooner from approaching predators (thereby eliciting attack by this sn ake). In contrast, rail presence or absence did not determine a lizard's ch ances of detection by the nocturnal snake. Thus, tail loss can induce shift s in behavior of lizards, affecting their later chances of being consumed b y some predators. but not by others.