Locomotion

The way animals move, varies between primate species. The way in which primates move around can be divided into several major categories: leaping, running, arboreal and terrestrial quadrupedalism (four limb walking), suspensory climbing, briachiation (swinging with the arms), knuckle walking (four limb walking with the front hands curled up to protect the digits - fingers - while walking), and bipedalism (habitually walking on two legs).

What type of locomotion is this primate using?

Proportions of arms and legs illustrate the specialization for brachiation. Shoulder joints also allow for flexible rotation of the shoulders and arms. A short body and legs make gibbons relatively light weight.

Walking on limbs creates a posture not too dissimilar to that for walking on the ground. The length of the hind-limbs will reflect the amount of running versus leaping that will be used.

Some lemurs leap so often from limb to limb that there hind-legs have become so long that they are uncomfortable walking on four-limbs. This ringtail lemur does not have as long hind-limbs as a Shifaka lemur who could not assume this posture.

What type of locomotion best fits this skeletal structure?

Here you can see the difference between how a gorilla walks and how we do.

Prosimians Pongids Gibbons New World Monkeys

Old World Monkeys Primate Anatomy Locomotion Reoriented Use of Senses

Larger Primate Brains Primate Environments Dentition Primate Diets

"Social organization" Primate Evolution Infant-Mother Bond and Childhood Diurnal and Nocturnal Behaviors

Dominance and Hierarchies Human Organization as Bands One Final Thought Introductory Page

Prosimians	Pongids	Gibbons	New World Monkeys
Old World Monkeys	Primate Anatomy	Locomotion	Reoriented Use of Senses
Larger Primate Brains	Primate Environments	Dentition	Primate Diets
"Social organization"	Primate Evolution	Infant-Mother Bond and Childhood	Diurnal and Nocturnal Behaviors
Dominance and Hierarchies	Human Organization as Bands	One Final Thought	Introductory Page