TY  - JOUR
AB  - The mechanisms by which the legs of a stick insect influence one another during walking were investigated by running the animals on a horizontal plane covered with a thin film of silicone oil to prevent mechanical coupling between the legs. Coupling between ipsilateral legs was investigated by interrupting the retraction (power stroke) of a leg for a short time and observing how the legs return to normal coordination following this disturbance. The results show that three ipsilateral coupling mechanisms exist: (a) a forwarddirected influence that inhibits the start of a protraction of the leg as long as the posterior leg is performing a protraction; (b) a forward-directed influence that excites the start of a protraction of the leg when the posterior leg starts a retraction movement; (c) a backward-directed influence that excites the start of a protraction, the influence being stronger the further the anterior leg has moved backwards during its retraction. The latter influence depends on the position but not the phase of the anterior leg.
DA  - 1988
KW  - Leg coordination
KW  - coordination
KW  - WALKING INSECT
KW  - Carausius
KW  - MECHANISM
KW  - leg
KW  - legs
KW  - insect
KW  - Stick Insect
KW  - Walking
KW  - MECHANISMS
LA  - eng
M2  - 455
PY  - 1988
SN  - 0022-0949
SP  - 455-469
T2  - The Journal of Experimental Biology
TI  - Mechanisms of coupling between the ipsilateral legs of a walking insect (Carausius morosus)
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0070-bipr-24933
Y2  - 2024-11-22T06:19:29
ER  -