Locomotor Patterns

Lemurs:

(a) There is a variety of Lemurs that live in many different areas of madagascar. However, the common thread amongst all of their habitats is trees. Madagascar is a beautiful island covered in forests and seasonal vegetation.

(b) The locomotor patterns of Lemurs, are just a varied as their habitat. Some swim, some leap and some move fast while others move slowly. For the most part however, they can be divided between 2 categories; vertical clingers/leapers and the aboreal quadrupeds. The leapers possess powerful back legs that allow them to jump to neighboring trees, landing on their back legs and clinging with their front paws. The aborreal quadrupeds move on all fours, some slow in a sloth-like hanging position. Others more quickly in an upright walking fashion.

(c) This locomotive patter evolution has been greatly influenced by the Lemur's environment. This is proven by the fact that each habitat has caused the Lemur to branch off into different species in the same genus with a variation of locomotive patters, and supporting limbs.

(d)

Spider Monkey:

(a) Spider Monkeys are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. The forests are comprised of very tall trees. Spider Monkeys live in upper layers of these trees.

(b) The majority of Spider Monkeys climb, leap, or fly. Mostly, bipedalism, which means that the primate only uses two limbs while leaping or swinging. These animals also use quadrupedal motion while running, meaning that they use all four limbs. Also, most climbing is suspensory; hanging onto the branch.

(c) The environment influenced this animals locomotion because of the fact that they live so high in the trees they must have strong back limbs to leap as well as a long tail to assist with balance. Their long front limbs and hook-shaped hands, also help them with hanging and suspending from the branches of the tall trees. Furthermore, their long tail serves as a fifth limb, assisting with suspension.

(d) 

Baboon:

(a) The Baboon is a primate that lives in East Africa. They are a greatly adaptable species that can live in a wide variety of habitats. They are ground dwellers that tend to sleep in trees or on cliff faces.

(b) The Baboon moves around quadrupedal on their digits. Meaning that they walk on their toes, not on their whole foot as humans do.

(c) The quadrupedal locomotor pattern of the Baboon adapted from their ground habitat. Living in the plateaus of Eastern Africa allowed them to develop limbs that would allow them to forage the grounds, as well as climb to higher heights for safety while sleeping.

(d)

Gibbon:

(a) Gibbons live in the dense areas of Southeast Asia. Primarily in the trees; they rarely come down to the ground.

(b) Gibbons are agile and acrobatic. They move by branchiating, which swinging from branches and vines. They use four fingers of their hands to hang onto and swing from branches. They can also leap through the gaps in the trees and walk on the branches on two feet with their arms in the air for balance.

(c) Being that the Gibbon lives high in the trees, their long adapted limbs help them soar through the trees. Also, they've adapted long arms for balance, as well as branchiating.

(d) 

Chimpanzee:

(a) Chimpanzees live in rain forests, both in the trees and on the forest floor.

(b) Chimpanzees move quadrupedally both on the ground and in the trees. They also branchiate, swing and cling, in the trees. Chimps are also capable of bipedaling or walking upright, but only when necessary.

(c) Chimpanzees have adapted to their environment by developing long arms for branchiating. They've also developed knuckles that they can use for support. Since their arms are longer than their legs, they use their knuckles for support when walking.

(d)

4. Through the comparison of these five primates, it is obvious that environments greatly influence locomotor patterns both physically and behaviorally. In each case study, the different environment influence a different physical trait; longer arms, longer talk, supportive knuckles, etc. Each primate also developed a different way to maneuver it's environment. Those who live higher in the trees developed ways to swing from branches, and ways to keep their balance, like the Gibbon's holding their arms in the air.