Intra-appendage movements during walking in the scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis

Abstract

1. 1. Movements of walking legs and of individual leg joints in walking scorpions ( Hadrurus arizonensis) were studied by high-speed (50 frames/sec) cinematography. 2. 2. As revealed from overhead and lateral views, the movement of the distal leg tip (pretarsus) is relatively similar for the four ipsilateral legs (Fig. 1). 3. 3. Due to their differing orientations and lengths, stepping movements of the four ipsilateral legs are accomplished by quite different activities of homologous joints (Figs 3–6). For example, major differences between legs in movements of the coxa-trochanter (C-T), femur-patella (F-P) and patella-tibia (P-T) joints for legs 1–4 were observed.