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FIG 4.18 Cow skeletal structure.
Other Quadrupeds
A large number of animals have developed a highly specialized and almost
unique physiognomy that calls for a distinctive mode of locomotion. Their
evolutionary development has been shaped by the particular demands and
constraints placed on them, in much the same way as all other animals.
Camels have developed a very a particular type of dynamic when running,
which is known as placing . This is an action during which the legs on the same
side of the animal move in unison, with the right front and right hind legs
and the left front and left hind legs working as pairs. This is achievable only
at moderately high speeds, during which there is a suspension phase. At
the lower speed of a walk, the camel moves in much the same way as other
quadrupeds, using the same sequence of leg movements.
Giraffes also have a distinctive action that's very similar to that of the pacing
camel. A giraffe's legs are so long that its mode of locomotion demonstrates
a kind of loping action that gives the body a forward and backward rocking
appearance. Again, this action happens only at increased speeds. When
a giraffe walks, the general quadruped sequence holds. To keep the head
relatively still, there is a more noticeable movement in the giraffe neck as it
pivots. This tendency to keep the head on an even keel is seen in most animal
locomotion. Extremes in animal movement, such as stretching and flexing
actions of a cheetah as it runs at full tilt, are in contrast to the stability of the
head. This can also be seen in particular with animals with long necks, such as
horses, giraffes, geese, and swans.
A walking kangaroo demonstrates a shuffling gait, a kind of rocking action
that constitutes low-speed locomotion. Kangaroos move both hind feet
together in unison, placing their front paws on the ground to support their
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