Thanatosis
- Pronunciation
- /PLAY-ing ded/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- Playing dead
- Plural
- Playing dead
Definition
A defensive behavior where an animal pretends to be dead to avoid predation, commonly known as thanatosis.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'thanatos,' meaning 'death,' combined with the suffix '-osis,' indicating a process or condition.
Example
The beetle exhibited playing dead behavior when threatened by a predator, lying motionless until the danger passed.
Synonyms
Related Terms
Usage Notes
Playing dead is an adaptive behavior demonstrated by various insects, arachnids, and other animals to evade predators by appearing lifeless.