Clatta,Testudicaudatus tardus, is a lemur-like prosimian that is also hunted by the Striger. It has a heavily armoured tail protected by a series of overlapping horny plates, demonstrates this principle. Before the arrival of the tree-living predators, such a tail would have been a disadvantage, interfering with the food gathering. Any tendency for such a cumbersome structure to evolve would have been quashed rapidly by natural selection. But faced with constant danger the effeciency of food gathering would have taken on an importance secondary to defence and would have therefore created the correct conditions to evolve.

The clatta itself is a leaf-eater and moves slowly, upside down, along the boughs. When a Striger attacks, it drops down and hangs from a branch by its tail. The clatta is safe - the only part within reach of the predator is too heavily armoured to be vulnerable.