Comparison between the kinematics for kangaroo rat hopping on a solid versus sand surface

Hall, Joseph; McGowan, Craig P.; Lin, David C.

doi:10.1098/rsos.211491

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 20 publications

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“…For example, eels differ in their kinematics and performance when moving terrestrially on sand vs. pebble substrates (Mehta et al, 2020;Redmann et al, 2020), box turtles have shorter strides and lower speeds on sand than on Styrofoam (Claussen et al, 2002), human athletes use different ankle and hip joint kinematics during squat jumps on rigid vs. sand surfaces (Giatsis et al, 2004), and a cursorial gecko species was shown to change its body angle and duty factor during transitions from firm to sand surfaces (Naylor and Higham, 2022). On the other hand, one experiment showed that kangaroo rats could hop at 1.8 m s -2 on either sand or a solid surface without changing any of the kinematic variables that were measured (hop period, hop length, duty cycle) (Hall et al, 2022). Even within granular media, variation in physical characteristics can affect locomotion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor kinematics on sand versus vinyl flooring in the sidewinder rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes

Tingle,

Sherman,

Garland

2023

Biology Open

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For terrestrial locomotion of animals and machines, physical characteristics of the substrate can strongly impact kinematics and performance. Snakes are an especially interesting system for studying substrate effects because their gait depends more on the environment than on their speed. We tested sidewinder rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerastes) on two surfaces: sand collected from their natural environment and vinyl tile flooring, an artificial surface often used to elicit sidewinding in laboratory settings. Of ten kinematic variables examined, two differed significantly between the substrates: the body's waveform had an average of ∼17% longer wavelength on vinyl flooring (measured in body lengths), and snakes lifted their bodies an average of ∼40% higher on sand (measured in body lengths). Sidewinding may also differ among substrates in ways we did not measure (e.g. ground reaction forces and energetics), leaving open clear directions for future study.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor kinematics on sand versus vinyl flooring in the sidewinder rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes

Tingle,

Sherman,

Garland

2023

Biology Open

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Proportional variation and scaling in the hindlimbs of hopping mammals, including convergent evolution in argyrolagids and jerboas

Jones,

Travouillon,

Janis

2024

J Mammal Evol

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Bipedal hopping is a mode of locomotion seen today in four rodent lineages and one clade of marsupials. The Argyrolagidae, marsupials from the Oligocene to Pliocene of South America, have also been considered to be hoppers. These lineages all convergently evolved similar general morphologies, with elongated hindlimbs, reduced forelimbs, and elongated tails, and their similarities and variations may be informative in understanding the evolution of hopping in mammals. This study uses principal components analysis and log-log regressions to investigate variation in the hindlimb proportions of these hopping mammals and how this relates to body mass. We find that the distribution of hopping mammal masses is bimodal, divided at roughly 500 g. These two domains among hopping mammals may reflect optimisation for different forms of hopping locomotion; species under 500 g tend to have more elongated metatarsals relative to the rest of their hindlimbs, perhaps to facilitate rapid vertical jumps for predator evasion, a behaviour not seen in larger hoppers. Despite this bimodal distribution in body mass, hindlimb proportions cluster more by clade than mass, with some similarities among clades being especially noteworthy. The jerboas (Dipodidae, Rodentia) and Argyrolagidae share a particularly extreme degree of metatarsal elongation. The drivers of this convergence are unclear, but we hypothesise that the elongation may be related to the reduction/fusion of metatarsals in these groups, or a greater reliance on bipedality at slow speeds, as jerboas are known to utilise multiple bipedal gaits in addition to hopping.

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Active Adaptive Strategies of Mallard Feet in Response to Changes in Wetness and Compactness of the Sand Terrain

Han,

Hu,

Liu

et al. 2023

Integrative and Comparative Biology

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Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) exhibit exceptional locomotive abilities in diverse terrains, such as beaches, swamps, and tidal flats. This capability is primarily attributed to their unique webbed toe structure and cooperative locomotion posture of their feet. Therefore, this study aims to further delve into the active adaptive strategies of mallard feet in response to diverse external environmental conditions. Six adult male mallards were selected for this research. Their locomotion on sandy surfaces with differing wetness levels and varying degrees of compaction were captured using a high-speed camera, and analysis of instantaneous and continuous changes in the primary joint angles of the mallards' feet, including the toe-webbed opening and closing angles, the tarsometatarsal-phalangeal joint (TMTPJ), and the intertarsal joint (ITJ). It was found that on loose sandy surfaces, increasing wetness expanded the ground contact area of the mallards' feet. This led to greater flexion at the TMTPJ joint during mid-stance, accompanied by decreased flexion of the ITJ during touch-down and mid-stance. Conversely, on compacted sand, increasing wetness resulted in a reduced foot effect area and lessened ITJ flexion at both touch-down and mid-stance. Furthermore, on looser sand, the ground contact area of the mallards' feet decreased, with an increase in ITJ buckling at touch-down. During the swing phase, sand wetness and compactness effected minimally on the feet of the mallards. On dry and loose sand ground, mallards will contract their second and fourth toes with webbing upon ground contact, covering and compacting the sand beneath while increasing ITJ flexion to mitigate sinking. This adaptation reduces the energy expended on sand and enhances body stability. In wet and compacted sand conditions, mallards expand their second and fourth toes upon ground contact and reduce ITJ flexion. Therefore, this coordinated foot and ITJ locomotion offers mallards a natural advantage when moving on various environmental media.

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Comparison between the kinematics for kangaroo rat hopping on a solid versus sand surface

Cited by 5 publications

References 20 publications

Locomotor kinematics on sand versus vinyl flooring in the sidewinder rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes

Locomotor kinematics on sand versus vinyl flooring in the sidewinder rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes

Proportional variation and scaling in the hindlimbs of hopping mammals, including convergent evolution in argyrolagids and jerboas

Active Adaptive Strategies of Mallard Feet in Response to Changes in Wetness and Compactness of the Sand Terrain

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