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First published online January 3, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 249-259 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01979
Differential leg function in a sprawled-posture quadrupedal trotter
1 Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley,
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA
2 Department of Biology, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR 97219-7899,
USA
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: rjfull{at}berkeley.edu)
Accepted 9 November 2005
Legs of sprawled-posture, quadrupedal trotting geckos (Hemidactylus garnotii) each functioned differently during constant average-speed locomotion. The center of mass decelerated in the first half of a step and accelerated in the second half, as if geckos were bouncing in fore–aft and side-to-side directions. Forelegs decelerated the center of mass only in the fore–aft direction. Hindlegs provided all the acceleration in the latter half of the step. Lateral ground reaction forces were always directed toward the midline and exceeded the magnitude of fore–aft forces. The differential leg function of sprawled-posture geckos resembled sprawled-posture hexapods more than upright-posture quadrupeds. The pattern of leg ground reaction forces observed may provide passive, dynamic stability while minimizing joint moments, yet allow high maneuverability. Integrating limb dynamics with whole body dynamics is required to resolve the trade-offs, if any, that result from stable sprawled-posture running with differential leg function.
Key words: biomechanics, locomotion, dynamics, leg function, mechanical stability, running, quadruped, gecko, Hemidactylus garnotii
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