Britannica
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How do a walk, trot, pace, and gallop differ in vertebrates?
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Locomotion
These birds largely reside in coastal areas of North America, although some populations live in the continent's interior along large rivers.
In vertebrate locomotion, gaits are defined by the sequence and timing of limb movements during a stride. These movements are categorized as either symmetrical, where footfalls are regularly spaced, or asymmetrical, where they are irregularly spaced.1
Symmetrical Gaits
Symmetrical gaits are typically used for walking and steady, slow running.1
* Walk: The basic tetrapodal walking pattern follows the sequence: left hind leg, left foreleg, right hind leg, and right foreleg.1
* Trot: This gait is achieved by moving diagonally contralateral legs (those on opposite sides of the body) simultaneously.1
* Pace: This gait involves moving the ipsilateral legs (those on the same side of the body) simultaneously.1
Asymmetrical Gaits
- Gallop: Used by fast-running vertebrates to achieve maximum speed, the gallop is an asymmetrical gait. During a gallop, the animal is supported by no more than two legs at any time, and there may be a phase where no legs are in contact with the ground. Some fast runners, such as cheetahs, include a specific no-contact phase following hind foot contact to further increase speed.12