The red kangaroo, uses its tail as a fifth leg during locomotion, and the appendage plays an important role in keeping it upright according to a new Canadian study.
The new research suggests that Australia’s unofficial mascot, the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), uses its tail as a fifth leg during locomotion, and also that the appendage plays an important role in its “pentapedal gait.” This means that the kangaroo may be the only "pentapedal" (five-legged) animal. Researchers, based at the Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, are of the view that a kangaroo’s tail provides more forward-directed force than its hind and forelimbs combined. They have highlighted their research in a video:
According to New Scientist, the tails of large kangaroo species are uniquely suited to playing such a role. With more than 20 vertebrae, impressive musculature, and muscle cells packed with mitochondria, kangaroo tails seem built for locomotion. The findings have also been reported to the journal Biology Letters, in a paper called "The kangaroo's tail propels and powers pentapedal locomotion".
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According to New Scientist, the tails of large kangaroo species are uniquely suited to playing such a role. With more than 20 vertebrae, impressive musculature, and muscle cells packed with mitochondria, kangaroo tails seem built for locomotion. The findings have also been reported to the journal Biology Letters, in a paper called "The kangaroo's tail propels and powers pentapedal locomotion".
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