Abstract
Walking is the most common mode of locomotion for terrestrial animals. It is highly developed in two systematic groups, in arthropods (especially insects, spiders, and decapod crustaceans) and in four-legged vertebrates (especially mammals). Even a cursory glance reveals differences between the walking systems of most insects and mammals. For example, in insects the legs stand out to the side so that the body rests in a relatively stable equilibrium position. Also, insect legs grip the substrate, furnishing a stable base even when the animal’s center of gravity lies outside the area enclosed by the standing tarsi. Thus, at least in intact insects, the control of walking can occur without consideration of balance problems.
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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Bässler, U. (1983). Walking. In: Neural Basis of Elementary Behavior in Stick Insects. Studies of Brain Function, vol 10. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68813-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68813-3_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-68815-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68813-3
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