Meeting Abstract 26.3  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:00  Sprawling locomotion: how similar are kinematics and dynamics in a sample of five phylogenetically, ecologically and morphologically diverse tetrapods? NYAKATURA, J.A.*; ALLEN, V.R.; Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany; Friedrich-Schiller-Univeristät, Jena, Germany and Royal Veterinary College, London, UK john.nyakatura@uni-jena.de Sprawling locomotion is utilized by a wide range of extinct and extant non-erect species. […]

Meeting Abstract 26.2  Saturday, Jan. 4 13:45  Proximal caudal vertebral morphology in relation to tail length among primates and other mammals RUSSO, G.A.; The University of Texas at Austin; Northeast Ohio Medical University grusso@neomed.edu Tail reduction/loss independently evolved in a number of mammalian lineages. One prerequisite to appropriately contextualizing and understanding its significance is the ability to […]

Meeting Abstract 26.5  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:30  Plantarflexion component of stride length in bipedal walking WHITCOME, K/K*; DYER, R/E; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati katherine.whitcome@uc.edu Because energy for locomotion in the form of muscle force production is necessary to support the body and swing the limbs, increase in stride frequency per distance and speed will increase […]

Meeting Abstract 26.1  Saturday, Jan. 4 13:30  Examining the relationship among foraging style, rectricial morphology, and the caudal skeleton in birds FELICE, RN*; O’CONNOR, PM; Ohio University ryanfelice@gmail.com The tail represents an important locomotor module in modern birds, complementing the role of the wings during flight. The shape of the tail fan determines its aerodynamic properties and […]

Meeting Abstract 26.6  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:45  An X-ray-based transducer to measure burrowing biomechanics MOORE, AL*; BARNES, CJ; LEE, DV; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas moorea3@unlv.nevada.edu The study of burrowing biomechanics has been limited by the technical challenges of 1) tracking motions and 2) measuring forces during […]

Meeting Abstract 25.5  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:30  Why the trot? REVZEN, S*; BURDEN, S/A; KVALHEIM, M/D; University of Michigan; University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan shrevzen@umich.edu The trot and pace gaits of quadrupeds and the alternating tripod gait of running hexapods are just the most familiar of the many multiple contact gaits that multilegged animals utilize. […]

Meeting Abstract 25.6  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:45  Use it or lose it: locomotor evolution associated with the loss of adhesion in geckos HIGHAM, TE*; RUSSELL, AP; BIRN-JEFFERY, A; COLLINS, CE; HULSEY, CD; Univ. of California, Riverside; Univ. of Calgary; Univ. of California, Riverside; Univ. of California, Riverside; Univ. of Tennessee thigham@ucr.edu Geckos are known for their remarkable […]

Meeting Abstract 25.3  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:00  The bounce in a seastar’s step: classifying gaits in underwater legged locomotion ELLERS, O.; JOHNSON, A.S.*; GUTTENPLAN, K.; MOTOKAWA, T.; Bowdoin College; Bowdoin College; Bowdoin College; Tokyo Institute of Technology ajohnson@bowdoin.edu We describe a novel mode of underwater legged locomotion in which a seastar, Protoreaster nodosus, uses the coordinated action […]

Meeting Abstract 25.2  Saturday, Jan. 4 13:45  Templates and anchors revisited: Distinguishing the ‘phenomenon’ of locomotion from the ‘mechanisms’ that produce it BERTRAM, JEA*; HASANEINI, SJ; Univ. of Calgary, Calgary; Univ. of Calgary, Calgary jbertram@ucalgary.ca Studies of animal locomotion involve interpreting both the complexities of the observable motions and their functional consequences. With the multi-dimensional dynamics, and […]

Meeting Abstract 25.4  Saturday, Jan. 4 14:15  Jumping off flowable ground AGUILAR, JJ*; GOLDMAN, DI; Georgia Institute of Technology; Georgia Institute of Technology jjaguilar1@gmail.com Many organism behaviors such as sprinting, jumping and hopping involve impulsive ground interactions. On hard ground, these behaviors can be described as transient bursts of actuation coupled with internal elastic elements to create […]