Editing Mammal (section)

====Terrestrial====
{{Main|Terrestrial locomotion}}
[[File:Muybridge race horse animated.gif|thumb|[[running|Running gait]]. Photographs by [[Eadweard Muybridge]], 1887]]
Most vertebrates—the amphibians, the reptiles and some mammals such as humans and bears—are [[plantigrade]], walking on the whole of the underside of the foot. Many mammals, such as cats and dogs, are [[digitigrade]], walking on their toes, the greater stride length allowing more speed. Some animals such as [[horse]]s are [[unguligrade]], walking on the tips of their toes. This even further increases their stride length and thus their speed.<ref>{{cite book|url={{Google books |plainurl=yes |id=LaaLNfY6gB8C |page=3}}| vauthors = Walker WF, Homberger DG |author-link2= Dominique G. Homberger|year=1998|title=Anatomy and Dissection of the Fetal Pig|edition=5th|location=New York|publisher=W. H. Freeman and Company|page=3|isbn=978-0-7167-2637-1|oclc=40576267}}</ref> A few mammals, namely the great apes, are also known to [[Knuckle-walking|walk on their knuckles]], at least for their front legs. [[Giant anteater]]s<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Orr CM | title = Knuckle-walking anteater: a convergence test of adaptation for purported knuckle-walking features of African Hominidae | journal = American Journal of Physical Anthropology | volume = 128 | issue = 3 | pages = 639–658 | date = November 2005 | pmid = 15861420 | doi = 10.1002/ajpa.20192 }}</ref> and platypuses<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fish FE, Frappell PB, Baudinette RV, MacFarlane PM | title = Energetics of terrestrial locomotion of the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | volume = 204 | issue = Pt 4 | pages = 797–803 | date = February 2001 | doi = 10.1242/jeb.204.4.797 | pmid = 11171362 | bibcode = 2001JExpB.204..797F | hdl = 2440/12192 | url = https://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/204/4/797.pdf | access-date = 25 January 2024 | archive-date = 14 March 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240314100116/https://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/204/4/797.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> are also knuckle-walkers. Some mammals are [[bipedalism|bipeds]], using only two limbs for locomotion, which can be seen in, for example, humans and the great apes. Bipedal species have a larger field of [[Mammalian vision|vision]] than quadrupeds, conserve more energy and have the ability to manipulate objects with their hands, which aids in foraging. Instead of walking, some bipeds hop, such as kangaroos and [[kangaroo rat]]s.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.philosophistry.com/static/bipedalism.html|vauthors=Dhingra P|year=2004|title=Comparative Bipedalism – How the Rest of the Animal Kingdom Walks on two legs|journal=Anthropological Science|volume=131|issue=231|access-date=11 March 2017|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421085055/https://philosophistry.com/static/bipedalism.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Alexander RM | title = Bipedal animals, and their differences from humans | journal = Journal of Anatomy | volume = 204 | issue = 5 | pages = 321–330 | date = May 2004 | pmid = 15198697 | pmc = 1571302 | doi = 10.1111/j.0021-8782.2004.00289.x }}</ref>

Animals will use different gaits for different speeds, terrain and situations. For example, horses show four natural gaits, the slowest [[horse gait]] is the [[Horse gait#Walk|walk]], then there are three faster gaits which, from slowest to fastest, are the [[trot (horse gait)|trot]], the [[canter]] and the [[Horse gait#Gallop|gallop]]. Animals may also have unusual gaits that are used occasionally, such as for moving sideways or backwards. For example, the main [[gait (human)|human gaits]] are bipedal [[walking]] and [[running]], but they employ many other gaits occasionally, including a four-legged [[crawling (human)|crawl]] in tight spaces.<ref name=dagg>{{cite journal| vauthors = Dagg AI |author-link=Anne Innis Dagg|year=1973|title=Gaits in Mammals|journal=Mammal Review|volume=3|issue=4|pages=135–154|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2907.1973.tb00179.x|bibcode=1973MamRv...3..135D }}</ref> Mammals show a vast range of [[gait]]s, the order that they place and lift their appendages in locomotion. Gaits can be grouped into categories according to their patterns of support sequence. For quadrupeds, there are three main categories: walking gaits, running gaits and [[leaping gaits]].<ref>{{cite book| vauthors = Roberts TD |title=Understanding Balance: The Mechanics of Posture and Locomotion|url={{Google books|plainurl=yes|id=o8RvD3X8ur8C|page=211}}|location=San Diego|year=1995|publisher= Nelson Thornes|isbn=978-1-56593-416-0|page=211|oclc=33167785}}</ref> Walking is the most common gait, where some feet are on the ground at any given time, and found in almost all legged animals. Running is considered to occur when at some points in the stride all feet are off the ground in a moment of suspension.<ref name=dagg/>