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Adaptive value of ambling gaits in primates and other mammals.
Abstract: At speeds between the walk and the gallop, most mammals trot. Primates almost never trot, and it has been claimed that they transition directly from a walk to a gallop without any distinctive mid-speed running gait. If true, this would be another characteristic difference between the locomotion of primates and that of most other quadrupedal mammals. Presently, however, few data exist concerning the actual presence or absence of intermediate-speed gaits (i.e. gaits that are used between a walk and a gallop) in primates. Video records of running in twelve primate species reveal that, unlike most other mammals, all the primates studied almost exclusively adopt an 'amble'--an intermediate-speed running gait with no whole-body aerial phase--rather than trot. Ambling is also common in elephants and some horses, raising the question of why ambling is preferred over trotting in these diverse groups of animals. Mathematical analyses presented here show that ambling ensures continuous contact of the body with the substrate while dramatically reducing vertical oscillations of the center of mass. This may explain why ambling appears to be preferable to trotting for extremely large terrestrial mammals such as elephants and for arboreal mammals like primates that move on unstable branches. These findings allow us to better understand the mechanics of these unusual running gaits and shed new light on primate locomotor evolution.
Publication Date: 2006-05-20 PubMed ID: 16709907DOI: 10.1242/jeb.02235Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- N.I.H.
- Extramural
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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The research focuses on the preference of using ‘ambling’ as a mid-speed gait among primates and some other mammals like elephants and certain horses, instead of ‘trotting’ which is more common among other mammal species. This gait, which ensures continuous contact with the ground and reduces vertical movements of the body’s center of mass, is potentially beneficial for large terrestrial mammals and arboreal primates.
Studying Gaits in Mammals
- This research investigates the notable deviation of certain mammal species from the typical gait sequence of most mammals — from walking to trotting to galloping.
- Primarily, the study notes that primates do not usually trot, but instead transition directly from walking to galloping. However, it points out that there is a lack of data regarding intermediate-speed gaits in primates.
- The researchers used video records of 12 different primate species, and the recorded data revealed that all studied primates utilized an ‘amble’ as their intermediate-speed run.
Characteristics of ‘Ambling’
- Ambling is defined in this study as an intermediate-speed running gait with no whole-body aerial phase. This means that some part of the animal’s body remains in contact with the ground at all times during this gait. This is markedly different from other gaits such as trotting and galloping.
- The study also notes that alongside primates, ambling is also commonly observed among elephants and some horses.
Significance of ‘Ambling’
- The research offers mathematical analysis to explain why ambling could be more favorable than trotting for certain animals. It suggests that ambling helps keep the body in constant contact with the ground, and dramatically reduces the vertical oscillations of the body’s center of mass.
- This could be particularly useful for mammals like elephants which are extremely large and for arboreal primates that move along potentially unstable branches.
Understanding Animal Locomotion
- This study’s findings contribute to our overall understanding of the mechanics of unusual running gaits among different animal species. This is important for enhancing our comprehension of animal locomotion and the reasons for specific locomotive patterns across different species.
- These findings also provide valuable insight into the evolution of locomotion in primates, emphasizing adaptation to arboreal environments where stability is crucial.
Cite This Article
APA
Schmitt D, Cartmill M, Griffin TM, Hanna JB, Lemelin P.
(2006).
Adaptive value of ambling gaits in primates and other mammals.
J Exp Biol, 209(Pt 11), 2042-2049.
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.02235 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA. daniel_schmitt@baa.mc.duke.edu
MeSH Terms
- Adaptation, Physiological / physiology
- Animals
- Gait / physiology
- Locomotion / physiology
- Models, Biological
- Primates / anatomy & histology
- Primates / physiology
- Species Specificity
Grant Funding
- AR051672 / NIAMS NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Vincelette A. The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 8;13(16).
- Lee DV, Harris SL. Linking Gait Dynamics to Mechanical Cost of Legged Locomotion.. Front Robot AI 2018;5:111.
- Miller CE, Johnson LE, Pinkard H, Lemelin P, Schmitt D. Limb phase flexibility in walking: a test case in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).. Front Zool 2019;16:5.
- Cole WG, Vereijken B, Young JW, Robinson SR, Adolph KE. Use it or lose it? Effects of age, experience, and disuse on crawling.. Dev Psychobiol 2019 Jan;61(1):29-42.
- Herbin M, Hommet E, Hanotin-Dossot V, Perret M, Hackert R. Treadmill locomotion of the mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus); kinematic parameters during symmetrical and asymmetrical gaits.. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018 Jun;204(6):537-547.
- Larsson M. Self-generated sounds of locomotion and ventilation and the evolution of human rhythmic abilities.. Anim Cogn 2014 Jan;17(1):1-14.
- Hanna JB, Schmitt D. Comparative triceps surae morphology in primates: a review.. Anat Res Int 2011;2011:191509.
- Starke SD, Robilliard JJ, Weller R, Wilson AM, Pfau T. Walk-run classification of symmetrical gaits in the horse: a multidimensional approach.. J R Soc Interface 2009 Apr 6;6(33):335-42.
- Ren L, Hutchinson JR. The three-dimensional locomotor dynamics of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants reveal a smooth gait transition at moderate speed.. J R Soc Interface 2008 Feb 6;5(19):195-211.
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