In mammals, the Virginia opossum (commonly known simply as possums) is perhaps the best known example of defensive thanatosis. "Playing possum" is an idiomatic phrase which means "pretending to be dead". It comes from a characteristic of the Virginia opossum, which is famous for pretending to be dead when threatened.
Of all the ways animals have evolved to evade predators, feigning death might be one of the most creative—and risky. Scientifically known as thanatosis, or tonic immobility, playing dead occurs across the animal kingdom, from birds to mammals to fish.
Opossums are marsupials found in Massachusetts. They are known for “playing possum” when threatened, falling over and pretending to be dead for up to several hours.
Many people believe it's a good act, but according to scientists the possum is actually in tonic immobility or thanatosis, and its body enters a catatonic state in response to fear. “Playing possum” isn't an act; it's an involuntary reaction to a threat.
The only safe thing you can do is wait. Commonly after an hour, the ears of the Opossum start to move slightly. This is your indicator to know that it's an actor :) After four hours of stiff ears, you can be pretty sure that you are looking down on a dead animal.
Even with other possums they just stare at each other with erect ears to defend their territory. On occasion they can bear their teeth but this teeth-bearing threat display is just for show. Playing dead is another possum trick. If trapped however, possums will defend themselves just like any other animal.
Opossums may play dead for a surprisingly long time. Most people assume that an opossum jumps up and runs down the trail the moment a predator or threat is out of sight. On the contrary, a possum can be in the play dead position for up to 4 hours!
When faced with a threatening situation, an animal may appear lifeless and may even emit odors that resemble the smell of decaying flesh. Also known as thanatosis, playing dead is often used as a defense mechanism, a trick to catch prey, or a means to sexually reproduce.
When confronted by predators, opossums usually try to bluff their way out of danger by baring their teeth, hissing, and growling. However, if this fails, opossums close their eyes, fall onto their side, and play dead.
The frogs stayed in their exaggerated death pose for about two minutes, according to a team lead by biologist Vinicius Batista of the State University of Maringá in Brazil and reported in the fall issue of the Herpetological Bulletin.
To date, there's only one species that has been called 'biologically immortal': the jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii. These small, transparent animals hang out in oceans around the world and can turn back time by reverting to an earlier stage of their life cycle.
Few animals have been caught feigning death to trick suitors. The behaviour has been seen in a species of spider (the males use it to improve their chances of mating), two species of robber fly and a type of mantis. Playing dead to avoid predators, however, is more common and has been observed in dragonflies.
Tonic immobility isn't common in higher species, but farm animals like cows, goats, and pigs have also been known to go into a trancelike state for minutes at a time before returning to normal.
But there are some dogs who just naturally figure how to play dead – mostly because it comes with certain advantages for them. And for the most part, this comes in handy when a dog has done something naughty and they want to avoid punishment from their owner.
It's not unusual for dogs to grieve the loss of a person they've bonded with who is no longer present. While they might not understand the full extent of human absence, dogs do understand the emotional feeling of missing someone who's no longer a part of their daily lives.
MALES will go to extreme lengths to get females, but playing dead might not seem like an obvious strategy. Some male nursery web spiders, however, regularly feign death, and those that do are more likely to mate.
Additionally, some lizards exhibit a peculiar defensive behavior: death-feigning. Death-feigning (thanatosis) is a state of immobility assumed by many animals in response to external stimuli.
Usually, rabbits play dead when they feel neglected by its owner. They are so stubborn and self-centred that if not calculated, they find other ways to get attentions.
Nishino discovered that when crickets try to escape, their leg muscles shiver. This stimulates a chordotonal sensory organ in their legs, rendering their bodies rigid. When the organ is removed, crickets play dead less frequently. Nishino says crickets apparently feign death to evade a predator.
It is generally assumed that humans are the only animals who can possess a concept of death. However, the ubiquity of death in nature and the evolutionary advantages that would come with an understanding of death provide two prima facie reasons for doubting this assumption.
Dead animals can carry a host of bacteria and viruses that can be passed on to humans and pets. Tularemia is a disease that can be spread to humans via contact with a dead animal. It is a bacteria usually found in mammals, especially rodents and rabbits, and sometimes fish and birds.
At some level, animals seem to understand the concept of death. From elephants who grieve for the loss of a herd member to whales who won't leave their dead babies behind, many species react to death in much the same way that people do.
Chickens. Tonic immobility can be induced in chickens, but the behavior is more colloquially referred to as hypnosis.
Although they do not spray like skunks do, opossums emit a foul smell when they play dead, which is never a pleasant occurrence. They can also carry fleas, ticks, and diseases like leptospirosis. In some cases, they may even become aggressive and cause injury to you or your pets.
>> When opossums are attacked, they will “play possum,” pretending that they are dead; they remain still, they do not blink, and their tongue hangs out. This act often makes the attacker lose interest in the opossum.