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Biomechanics of Locomotion in Tarantulas

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New World Tarantulas

Part of the book series: Zoological Monographs ((ZM,volume 6))

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Abstract

Terrestrial multi-legged locomotion is an energetically demanding activity. The limbs need to exert force on the ground to support and move the body weight and negotiate uneven surfaces. The locomotor performances of Theraphosidae are limited by their poor aerobic capacities. The smaller body size and longer legs of the more active sex (males) are considered results of an optimisation to reduce the high metabolic cost of locomotion.

A large fraction of the mechanical work is done against gravity, to lift the body centre of mass with each step. Both horizontal work (to push the centre of mass forward) and internal work (done to move the limbs with respect to the centre of mass) represent a small part of the total work .

Unlike other spiders, Theraphosidae employ all of their limbs for locomotion. The first described stepping pattern was an alternating tetrapod gait , in which the odd limbs on one side move together with the contralateral even limbs. Nevertheless, we are able to discriminate different quadruped-similar gait patterns, such as lateral and diagonal walking and trotting. Unlike quadrupedal vertebrates, the highest speeds are reached mainly by increasing stride frequency, while stride length remains roughly constant.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Fernando Pérez-Miles for his invitation to contribute to this book, and to Santiago Fernandez for his help with the English editing of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, CenUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Uruguay

    Carlo M. Biancardi

  2. Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Valentina Silva-Pereyra

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  1. Carlo M. Biancardi
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  2. Valentina Silva-Pereyra
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias, Sección Entomología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Fernando Pérez-Miles

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Biancardi, C.M., Silva-Pereyra, V. (2020). Biomechanics of Locomotion in Tarantulas. In: Pérez-Miles, F. (eds) New World Tarantulas. Zoological Monographs, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48644-0_13

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