What’s the purpose of tails in modern mammals? When did the tail originate?
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You could argue that the tail is one of the first kinds of body types ever evolved. The first kinds of animals were basically worms and sponges; little more that tubes.
As fish and other aquatic life evolved, that end part of the body would become a more functional tail, providing locomotion.
When animals moved to land, a tail was no longer needed for locomotion but evolution doesn’t get rid of something just because it’s no longer needed. The tail was basically repurposed. It can be used as a weapon, an aid to balance and stability, contribute to heat regulation, a disposable escape mechanism, another sensory tool. Some species evolved in a way that enhanced the tail, making it an appendage with which they can manipulate their environment while with others it gradually evolved away until it was no more than a few bones hidden inside the body.
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