• Clemson University

• BIOL 3070  locomotion paper

Vertebrate Locomotion
Dhruvil Patel
Section: 06

Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone that provides support to their axial body
system. Vertebrates are a subphylum that falls under the phylum Chordata. The immense
diversity of animals in this clade is reflected in their geography, shape, size, and wide variety of
locomotion styles. “Locomotion is the ability of an organism to move from one place to
another”. The modes of locomotion performed by animals have been further divided into many
types: aquatic, terrestrial, aerial, and arboreal, to name a few. We must keep in mind that it is not
uncommon to see more than one type of locomotory behavior in an animal. Certain locomotion
behaviors have helped animals evolve and explore untapped niches or even escape predators.
Over this Thanksgiving break on November 23rd, I visited the Greenville Zoo to ponder the
various animal species and observe their displayed locomotory behaviors. On my visit, I was
intrigued by the locomotion of a terrestrial, an arboreal, and an aquatic species of animals:
giraffe, spider monkey, and eastern spotted turtle, respectively.