Articles tagged with Hindlimbs
Researchers uncovered previously unknown features in the limb musculature of the macaroni penguin that help explain its efficient movement on land and underwater. The study found modified key wing muscles and a unique configuration of shoulder muscles giving penguins an 'underwater flying' wing stroke.
Researchers at RIKEN Center for Brain Science discovered neural circuitry in the spinal cord that enables brain-independent motor learning and recall. The study found two critical groups of neurons: one necessary for new adaptive learning and another for recalling adaptations once learned.
A new reconstruction of the 375-million-year-old fossil fish Tiktaalik reveals that its ribs likely attached to its pelvis, enabling support of the body and potentially leading to the evolution of walking. This discovery provides insights into the major evolutionary transition from fish to four-limbed vertebrates.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found that matador bugs wave their legs to signal aggression or to advertise their toxicity to predators, not for sexual attraction. The study revealed no differences in waving behavior between males and females.
Researchers discovered that baboons employ an efficient strategy to transition from quadrupedal to bipedal walking by 'crouching' their hindlimbs and 'sprinting' them forward under their torso. This process enables the animals to maintain a natural gait while standing upright, requiring minimal energy expenditure.
A new study reconstructs the skeletal structure of Coelurosauravus elivensis, a Late Permian reptile that likely used tree canopy changes to facilitate its evolution. The research reveals the gliding apparatus was supported by either the gastralia or musculature of the trunk.
The study reveals that cheetahs use two types of flight during galloping, which enables them to accelerate to high speeds. The team's simple model and measurements with real-world data confirm the findings, suggesting a key factor in cheetahs' exceptional speed.
A study by Ummat Somjee and colleagues found that male leaf-footed bugs invest more in their large hind legs than females do, which are used as weapons in male-male duels. The team measured energy use of live bugs with and without hind legs to calculate the hidden energetic cost of maintaining these structures.
A University of Rhode Island professor has discovered that lizards with shorter hind legs are more likely to survive hurricanes due to their ability to cling to vegetation. This unexpected finding suggests that natural selection may be at play, favoring traits that enhance survival during extreme weather events.
Researchers found that survivors had larger toe pads on forelimbs and hindlimbs compared to pre-storm populations. Survivors also had proportionately longer fore legs and shorter back legs with smaller bodies. These findings suggest natural selection favors certain characteristics in response to extreme weather events.
Researchers compared mouse and human blood vessels using three-dimensional imaging, revealing that mice have a more robust vascular structure against lower limb ischemia. The inferior gluteal artery in mice extends further than in humans, allowing for better bypassing of obstructions.
A study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution found that the protein GDF11 plays a crucial role in determining the position of the hindlimb in tetrapods. The researchers discovered that species-specific hindlimb positioning is linked to changes in the timing or rate of GDF11 expression during embryonic development.
Researchers have identified a rare pterosaur pelvis in Alberta's Dinosaur Provincial Park, showing that these ancient reptiles were well adapted for walking on land. The study provides evidence that azhdarchids likely used their powerful hindlimbs to transport themselves on the ground.
Researchers have discovered a 36.4-million-year-old whale fossil that suggests baleen whales' ancestors were toothy suction feeders, diverging from their hunting lifestyle to filter-feed tiny marine animals. The study also reveals that whales likely lost hind limbs more recently than previously estimated.
Researchers discovered two genes, Pitx1 and Tbx5, responsible for developing feathered feet in pigeons. The study suggests that these genes may have played a role in the evolution of feathers in dinosaurs and early birds. The findings provide insight into how skin regions can be controlled to produce scales or feathers.
A new study evaluates mechanisms driving diversity in bone function, providing insight into the evolution of tetrapods and their transition to land. The tiger salamander's unique anatomy and ecology make it an ideal organism for studying this process.
A new study suggests that spaceflight can disrupt intestinal homeostasis and increase colitis susceptibility in mice. The research found altered composition of intestinal bacteria, decreased regulatory T cells, and increased neutrophils in the colon tissues of hindlimb-suspended mice.
Researchers from Yale University have reconstructed the ancestral snake's body plan, revealing a nocturnal, stealth-hunting predator with complete ankles and toes. The study sheds light on the origin of snakes, which originated around 128.5 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period.
New research suggests that extinct giant kangaroos likely walked instead of hopped, with stiff backs and strong joints supporting their body posture. The study analyzed anatomical differences in limb bones compared to other kangaroo species.
The study implanted 125I seeds into rat dorsal root ganglia to provide relief for neuropathic pain. Results showed elevated mechanical pain threshold without influencing motor functions, suggesting neuronal microdamage as the primary mechanism. The findings have potential implications for developing novel pain management therapies.
Researchers identified a single gene, Ultrabithorax (Ubx), responsible for leg and wing development in honeybees. Ubx represses the development of bristles on hind legs, creating a smooth surface for packing pollen, which is absent in queens.
Researchers have identified a single gene, Ultrabithorax (Ubx), that determines the distinct leg features of worker honey bees, enabling them to collect and transport pollen. The gene plays a critical role in the evolution of social behavior among honey bees, separating queens from workers.
A study by Jason Kolbe and colleagues reveals that the 'founder effect' persists even as lizard populations adapt to new environments. The research found that differences caused by the founder effect are retained in lizards with varying limb lengths, suggesting a complex interaction between natural selection and genetic variation.
African lungfish demonstrates unique walking behavior using its thin pelvic limbs, propelling itself forward and lifting its body off the bottom surface. This discovery suggests that many developments necessary for the transition from water to land could have occurred in lobe-finned ancestors of the lungfish long before early tetrapods.
Researchers found that marsupial embryos develop forelimbs earlier than expected, using a unique genetic program. This breakthrough suggests that developmental processes may be more flexible than previously thought, allowing for adaptability in marsupials.
Researchers discovered bees use their antennae to estimate surface slope, allowing them to orient correctly and land on surfaces ranging from horizontal to ceilings. By slowing down in the final moments before touchdown, bees control their approach and optimize landing speed.
A new embryology study clarifies the role of retinoic acid in limb development and finds that it controls forelimb budding but not hindlimb patterning. The research may lead to new therapeutic measures for congenital limb defects such as Holt-Oram syndrome.
A team of researchers at Northwestern University discovered a new approach to control movement in limbs by grouping muscles, which could simplify the restoration of muscle movements in people with paralysis. By reducing the number of variables, this method can achieve similar results as controlling individual muscles.
A team of scientists found that lizards running on two legs is due to their acceleration, which creates a turning force acting on the lizard's torso, lifting it off the ground. The researchers suggest that 'pulling a wheelie' is the most likely explanation for the lizards' bipedalism.
A new study reveals that cats can remember having stepped over an obstacle for at least ten minutes, but only if their forelegs have done so. In contrast, visual memories of the obstacle proved fleeting. This finding suggests that cats' working memories may be longer than previously thought.
Researchers found that ancient whales' hind limbs regressed over millions of years via small genetic changes, not a single dramatic event. This discovery highlights the complex process of evolution and developmental biology.
Scientists used fossil and developmental data to pinpoint the genetic changes that led to whales losing their hind limbs. The gradual shrinkage of hind limbs was caused by slowly accumulated genetic changes, while the actual loss occurred when a drastic change inactivated the Sonic hedgehog gene.
Researchers have identified a specific microRNA - miR 196 - playing a protective role in hindlimb development, but not forelimb development, suggesting a fail-safe mechanism to regulate gene expression. This finding may be useful in understanding birth defects and has implications for the regulation of protein expression in limbs.
The study found that misexpression of Tbx4 in the forelimb region leads to leg-like structures, while misexpression of Tbx5 in the hindlimb region results in wing-like structures. These findings suggest that Tbx4 and Tbx5 play crucial roles in determining fore- and hindlimb identity.