The kangaroo's tail propels and powers pentapedal locomotion.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: O'Connor SM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4126630 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
The kangaroo's tail propels and powers pentapedal locomotion.
O'Connor Shawn M SM Dawson Terence J TJ Kram Rodger R Donelan J Maxwell JM
Biology letters 20140701 7
When moving slowly, kangaroos plant their tail on the ground in sequence with their front and hind legs. To determine the tail's role in this 'pentapedal' gait, we measured the forces the tail exerts on the ground and calculated the mechanical power it generates. We found that the tail is responsible for as much propulsive force as the front and hind legs combined. It also generates almost exclusively positive mechanical power, performing as much mass-specific mechanical work as does a human leg ...[more]
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