ABSTRACT
The activity of recently autotomized Micropholis gracillima individuals was monitored for eight days. Burrowing time immediately following autotomy was not significantly different for autotomized and non-autotomized individuals. Differences in behavior were observed over time (P <0.001). Animals that lost one arm were less active than non-autotomized individuals. Individuals that autotomized both the disc and one arm and those that autotomized only the disc had depressed activity for the first 84 hrs. No differences among treatments were observed after the initial layer of tissue had formed over the oral frame (108 hrs). No material was observed in the regenerated guts of animals that had autotomized their discs (sampled 180 hrs after autotomy). The most frequent behaviors among discless animals were probing the sediment surface with extended arms and waving arms in the water column. Although these activities are usually associated with feeding, they may not always be associated with particle ingestion. Changes in behavior following autotomy may alter energy intake and the time required for regeneration.
