Can a Grasshopper’s Legs Grow Back?

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Grasshoppers possess the ability to shed one or both hind limbs in the event of a predator attack or limb damage; however, the lost limb will never grow back. This process is called autotomy.

Grasshopper’s legs will separate between the second and third leg segment. Nerves within the lost limb will be severed but no tissue damage will be done to the surrounding muscles. About one week after the limb loss, the muscles that operate the remaining leg segments will gradually decline in effectiveness. These muscles decrease in mass by no more than 15 percent due to them no longer being used to support the weight of the grasshopper.