A new galloping gait in an insect
Author
Summary, in English
An estimated three million insect species all walk using variations
of the alternating tripod gait. At any one time, these animals hold one stable triangle of legs steady while swinging the opposite triangle forward. Here, we report the discovery that three different
flightless desert dung beetles use an additional gallop-like gait, which has never been described in any insect before. Like a bounding hare, the beetles propel their body forward by synchronously stepping with both middle legs and then both front legs. Surprisingly, this peculiar galloping gait delivers lower speeds than the alternating tripod gait. Why these beetles have shifted so radically away from the most widely used walking style on our planet is as yet unknown.
of the alternating tripod gait. At any one time, these animals hold one stable triangle of legs steady while swinging the opposite triangle forward. Here, we report the discovery that three different
flightless desert dung beetles use an additional gallop-like gait, which has never been described in any insect before. Like a bounding hare, the beetles propel their body forward by synchronously stepping with both middle legs and then both front legs. Surprisingly, this peculiar galloping gait delivers lower speeds than the alternating tripod gait. Why these beetles have shifted so radically away from the most widely used walking style on our planet is as yet unknown.
Department/s
Publishing year
2013
Language
English
Pages
913-915
Publication/Series
Current Biology
Volume
23
Issue
20
Full text
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Links
Document type
Journal article (letter)
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Zoology
Keywords
- desert
- insect gaits
- locomotion
- dung beetles
Status
Published
Research group
- Lund Vision Group
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1879-0445