Malcolm Rivera
Animal locomotion is any of a variety of methods that animals use to move from one place to another. Some animals move in terrestrial habitats without the aid of legs, such as earthworms, which crawl using rhythmic contractions. Other animals, like humans, are bipedal and move by walking or running. Quadrupeds, such as horses, move with all four legs, alternating between the front and back legs. Many animals move with more than four legs, like millipedes, which move in waves of motion. The number of legs an animal has and the way it moves them can vary greatly, and some animals may even use different numbers of legs in different circumstances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Locomotion methods | Running, swimming, jumping, flying, hopping, soaring, gliding, sailing, kiting, rolling, riding other animals, crawling, slithering, dragging, inching, looping, walking |
| Number of limbs used for locomotion | Varies between animals; some use different numbers of limbs in different circumstances |
| Posture | Sprawling, semi-erect, fully erect |
| Limb movement | Alternating, out-of-phase, galloping, saltation (all limbs move together) |
| Limb type | Appendages, legs, tails, fins |
| Gait | Walking, trotting, pacing, cantering, galloping, half-bound, bound, hopping, running |
| Limb anatomy | Plantigrade, unguligrade, digitigrade |
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What You'll Learn
Animals that walk, run, hop, jump, or drag themselves
Animal locomotion refers to the various methods that animals use to move from one place to another. Some animals move by walking, running, hopping, jumping, or dragging themselves along the ground.
Walking
Walking is a common gait in almost all legged animals. It is characterized by having some feet on the ground at any given time. Examples of animals that walk include humans, birds, and several species of frogs. Camels and their relatives, including llamas, alpacas, and guanacos, walk with a characteristic gait known as pacing, where both legs on one side swing forward simultaneously.
Running
Running is considered to occur when, at some points in the stride, all feet are off the ground. Cheetahs, horses, and wolves are examples of cursorial animals that are anatomically and physiologically adapted for running long distances at high speeds. The Patas monkey is one of the fastest-running primates, achieving speeds of up to 55 km/h (34 mph).
Hopping and Jumping
Hopping is a form of gait commonly found in bipedal mammals, such as kangaroos and various jumping rodents. Jumping involves propelling oneself vertically into the air, and animals like fleas, cougars, and roadrunners are known for their impressive jumping abilities.
Dragging
Some animals, such as salamanders and mudskippers, drag themselves along the ground. The semi-erect posture is often associated with large lizards like monitor lizards and tegus, which can drag their bodies while keeping them elevated. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that some octopus species can drag themselves short distances by hauling their bodies with their tentacles.
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Animals that crawl or slither
Animal locomotion refers to the various methods that animals use to move from one place to another. Some animals move by crawling, which involves using their limbs or other body parts to propel themselves forward in a rhythmic manner. Examples of animals that crawl include:
- Earthworms: These invertebrates move by peristalsis, the same rhythmic contractions that occur during digestion. They also move by 'inching', using their circular and longitudinal muscles to attach to surfaces at both ends and then projecting one end forward.
- Leeches: Similar to earthworms, leeches move by inching and using suckers at both ends of their bodies to attach to surfaces.
- Caterpillars: Geometer moth caterpillars move in a similar way to earthworms and leeches, using a combination of inching and attaching to surfaces.
- Starfish: Some starfish pull themselves along using their arms, while others turn up the tips of their arms to expose their sensory tube feet and eyespots.
- Salamanders: These amphibians can drag their bodies along the ground, or they may adopt a more elevated posture similar to lizards.
- Reptiles: The Reptilia class includes all creatures that move by crawling, including lizards, snakes, alligators, turtles, and crocodiles.
In addition to crawling, some animals move by slithering, which involves a side-to-side movement that creates an S-shape. Examples of animals that slither include:
- Snakes: These reptiles are known for their distinctive slithering movement, which is made possible by their long bodies and short legs.
- Legless lizards: Legless lizards, such as the slow worm and glass lizard, move in a similar way to snakes and are often mistaken for them.
- Skinks: While some skinks have legs, they do not typically use them and instead slither on the ground.
- Earthworms: In addition to crawling, some earthworm species, such as Asian jumping earthworms, can also slither like snakes.
- Eels: Snake eels and other eel species move in a similar way to snakes, using their bodies to slither side-to-side.
- Octopi: Octopi can slither along the seabed by using the suckers on their tentacles to pull themselves forward.
- Snails and slugs: These invertebrates emit a slimy coating that helps them slither across the ground.
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Animals that use their environment for transportation
Animal locomotion refers to the various methods that animals use to move from one place to another. Some animals use self-propelled modes of locomotion, such as running, swimming, jumping, and flying. However, there are also many species that depend on their environment for transportation, a type of mobility called passive locomotion.
One example of passive locomotion is sailing. The Velella, commonly known as the by-the-wind sailor, is a cnidarian that uses the wind to sail across the water. It has a small rigid sail that catches the wind, allowing it to sail downwind. Similarly, some jellyfish species use their sails to navigate through the ocean currents.
Another form of passive locomotion is kiting, which is employed by spiders. They release strands of silk into the air, which then catch the wind, carrying them to new locations. This mode of transportation allows spiders to disperse over long distances and colonize new areas.
Some animals use their environment to roll and move from place to place. For example, the nannosquilla decemspinosa, a species of long-bodied, short-legged mantis shrimp, performs backward somersaults to move across sandy shores. It can cover up to 2 meters at a speed of around 72 revolutions per minute. Pangolins have also been observed rolling away from danger, forming a ball that predators cannot easily grasp.
In addition to rolling, some beetles and spiders use their environment to roll as a form of transportation. They may navigate downhill or across flat surfaces by rolling, utilizing the momentum generated by their initial push or the slope of the terrain.
Lastly, many animals ride on others for transportation, a behavior known as phoresis. This is commonly observed in insects, where smaller individuals hitch a ride on larger ones, taking advantage of their mobility. This behavior reduces the energy expenditure of the smaller individuals and can provide access to new habitats or food sources.
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Animals that move without the aid of legs
Animal locomotion is any of a variety of methods that animals use to move from one place to another. Some animals move in terrestrial habitats without the aid of legs. Here are some examples of animals that move without the use of legs:
Earthworms
Earthworms crawl by peristalsis, the same rhythmic contractions that propel food through the digestive tract.
Leeches and Geometer Moth Caterpillars
Leeches and geometer moth caterpillars move by looping or inching, using their paired circular and longitudinal muscles, along with their ability to attach to surfaces at both ends of their bodies.
Stomatopod
The Nannosquilla decemspinosa, a species of long-bodied, short-legged mantis shrimp, can escape by rolling itself into a self-propelled wheel and somersaulting backward.
Pangolins
Pangolins have been observed rolling away from danger by self-powered methods. When surrounded by lions, a group of lions was unable to attack the pangolin as it rolled into a ball.
Starfish
Some starfish pull themselves along with some of their arms while letting others trail behind. Burrowing starfish species from the genera Astropecten and Luidia have points instead of suckers on their long tube feet, allowing them to glide across the ocean floor quickly.
It is worth noting that some animals may temporarily change the number of legs they use for locomotion depending on the circumstances. For example, the springtail, a hexapedal insect, can use unipedal movement by hurling itself away from danger using its furcula, a tail-like forked rod that unfolds rapidly from its underside.
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Animals that move with different numbers of legs
Animals have evolved a variety of methods to move from one place to another. Some animals move using their legs, while others do not require legs for locomotion. The number of legs used for movement can vary within the same animal species and between different species.
Zero legs
Some animals move on land without the use of legs. For example, earthworms crawl through peristalsis, the same rhythmic contractions that propel food through the digestive tract. Leeches and geometer moth caterpillars move by "inching" or "looping", using their circular and longitudinal muscles along with their ability to attach to surfaces at both ends of their bodies.
One leg
The springtail is the best example of an animal that can move using one leg. While springtails typically have six legs, they can hurl themselves away from danger using their furcula, a tail-like forked rod that can be rapidly unfurled from the underside of their body.
Two legs
Bipedal animals are those that use only two legs for walking. Examples of habitual bipeds include humans, birds, and kangaroos. Some animals, such as primates, pangolins, and chimpanzees, can also walk on two legs but typically move using other methods such as knuckle-walking or quadrupedal locomotion.
Four legs
Quadrupedal locomotion involves the use of four legs for movement. Many animals, such as dogs, cats, and horses, fall into this category. These animals can alternate the motion of their legs on either side of their bodies or between their front and back legs when running or walking.
Multiple legs
Animals with many legs, such as millipedes, caterpillars, and centipedes, typically move them in a metachronal rhythm, creating waves of motion travelling forward or backward along their rows of legs. The number of legs can vary within these animal groups, with millipedes and centipedes exhibiting wide variations in leg number among species.
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Frequently asked questions
Some examples of animals that move along the ground include humans, kangaroos, horses, and wolves.
The different forms of terrestrial locomotion include walking, running, hopping or jumping, dragging, and crawling or slithering.
The gaits of quadrupedal mammals include walking, trotting, pacing, cantering, galloping, half-bound, and bound.
