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Entomology pp 417–447Cite as

Muscles and Locomotion

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Abstract

The ability to move is a characteristic of living animals and facilitates distribution, food procurement, location of a mate or egg-laying site, and avoidance of unsuitable conditions. Insects, largely through their ability to fly when adult, are among the most mobile and widely distributed of animals. Development of this ability early in the evolution of the class has made the Insecta the most diverse and successful animal group (see Chapter 2, Section 3.1). However, flight is only one method of locomotion employed by insects. Terrestrial species may walk, jump, or crawl over the substrate, or burrow within it. Aquatic forms can swim in a variety of ways or run on the water surface.

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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Gillott, C. (1995). Muscles and Locomotion. In: Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-4380-8_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-4380-8_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-44967-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-4380-8

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