Meeting Abstract
P3.195 Sunday, Jan. 6 Characterizing the mechanics of free-ranging leaping behavior in sifakas Propithecus verrauxi using accelerometers. WUNDERLICH, RE*; MILLER, CE; WILHELM , BA; GARDINER, J; TONGEN, A; SCHMITT, D; James Madison University; Duke University; James Madison University; James Madison University; James Madison University; Duke University wunderre@jmu.edu
Laboratory-based studies of animal locomotion provide critical insights into biomechanics and form-function relationships. However, connecting biomechanical data to detailed aspects of naturalistic behavior is a challenge, and represents a critical gap in our knowledge of locomotor biomechanics. To refine such techniques and test hypotheses about locomotor ontogeny, we developed a method to identify leaping behavior from accelerometer data in sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi ). Accelerometers (Humotion, Muenster) collecting linear accelerations in three directions at 100 Hz were mounted close to the COM on three adult and two juvenile sifakas. Trials were conducted with simultaneous video in restrictive enclosures with leaps of known distance, and also in large free-ranging areas. Data were analyzed using custom code written in Matlab applying an 8 Hz filter to distinguish patterns of vertical leaping including cyclic and single leaps, bipedal galloping, and climbing. Animals were released into the large free-ranging enclosures, and data were collected for multi-hour periods where documentation of locomotor behavior was validated with simultaneous locomotor bout sampling. 94% of leaps were identified correctly. Cyclic leaping and bipedal galloping exhibit similar COM acceleration patterns; both can be distinguished from single leaps and climbing. For single leaps, take-off and landing components exhibit characteristically high accelerations. During cyclic leaps, the intermediate leap exhibits only a single acceleration peak, suggesting that cyclic leaping may be selectively advantageous where it is important to reduce the number of impacts.
