Week 4 Flashcards
erect stance
standing up vertically with the limbs beneath you. Provides passive support. Also the entire limb can contribute to the stride making them faster
Cursorial
fast locomotion from elongated limbs (lower leg bones the most) below the elbows and knees
-usually digitigrade or unguiligrade
Digitigrade
stands only on their toes
Unguligrade
stands on oversized toenails
Plantigrade
stand on the flat of your feet
Graviportal
adapted for extreme body weight so are robust and heavy
-little joint movement
Obligate bipeds
mostly walk and run on two limbs
obligate quadrupeds
mostly walk and run on four limbs
facultative bipeds
walk on four legs but can rise and run on two
the caudofemoralis
muscles found in the tails of crocodiles and many birds
-pulls backwards to aid movement
-attached to the trochanter (only in animals with a caudogemoralis)
Trochanter
only found in animals with a caudofemoralis is the attachment point
-if placed low on the limb it is for strength and endurance
-if placed close to the hip it is for speed
Ichnofossils
trances of biological activity (footprints, tooth marks)
Footprint fossilization
has to be made is soft mud but with a hard underlayer (usually found in the muddy banks of old rivers)
ectotherm
cold blooded
-better for energy management
-but can’t be active at night or in the morning
endotherm
warm blooded
-need more energy
-but can be active whenever