terrestrial locomotion

5 types of terrestrial locomotion

running, jumping, climbing, crawling, digging

running

aka cursorial motion, different gaits and foot postures

plantigrade

animals that walk on sole of foot and palm of hand (bears, apes, humans)

digitigrade

walk on digits (most birds, dinos, carnivores)

unguligrade

only tips of digits touch the ground, nails modified into hoof (horses, deer, pigs)

speed vs power

ratio of limb length to limb protrusion; olecranon process: part of the ulna projecting behind elbow joint';

cursorial (maximize speed)

high ratio Lo/Li

diggers (maximize power)

low ratio Lo/Li

adaptations for speed

flexibility of spinal column, unsupported intervals during stride, reduce distal weight on limbs, increase rate of stride

jumping

saltatorial locomotion, can be bipedal or quadrapedal

ricochet locomotion

specialized form of bipedal motion; uses well-developed hind limbs, strong pelvic girdle, relatively long tail to counter-balance (kangaroos, kangaroo rats, springhares)

evolution of jumping

jumping evolved before landing (anatomy and behavior)

climbing

scansorial motion; special structures increase grip, adhesive discs on digits, adhesive lamellae on digits (setae) , opposable digits, prehensile tails,

crawling

prevalent in legless organisms, lateral undulation (anguilliform on land), rectilinear(catepillar/stright line), concertina (push body forward with s-shaped coils), and side-winding (throw bodies 2-3 coils at a time)

digging

powerful forelimbs with long claws or reduction of limbs, low/flat body profile with short limbs, mammals have thick fur