Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
10:19
Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
Published on: April 13, 2011
Substrate attributes determine gait in a terrestrial gastropod.
Amberle McKee1, Janice Voltzow, Bruno Pernet
1Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA.
The Biological Bulletin
|March 16, 2013
Summary
Terrestrial snails switch gaits, using adhesive crawling or loping, depending on the substrate. Loping conserves mucus on porous surfaces, suggesting widespread gait plasticity in snails.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Biomechanics
- Animal locomotion
Background:
- Terrestrial gastropods exhibit two primary gaits: adhesive crawling and loping.
- Loping is hypothesized to be an escape mechanism for predator avoidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the gait selection of Cornu aspersum on different substrates.
- To determine if loping offers a speed advantage over adhesive crawling.
- To explore the role of mucus expenditure in gait selection.
Main Methods:
- Observing Cornu aspersum locomotion on acrylic, glass, concrete, and wood substrates.
- Measuring mucus secretion volume and trail characteristics.
- Comparing snail speed between adhesive crawling and loping gaits.
Main Results:
- Cornu aspersum used adhesive crawling on smooth surfaces (acrylic, glass) and loping on rough surfaces (concrete, wood).
- Loping did not result in faster locomotion compared to adhesive crawling.
- Snails on concrete secreted more mucus per unit area than on acrylic.
- Loping conserves pedal mucus on porous substrates by reducing mucus trail area.
Conclusions:
- Gait selection in terrestrial snails is substrate-dependent, influenced by mucus conservation.
- Loping is a mucus-saving strategy on porous surfaces, not necessarily a speed-enhancing escape behavior.
- Gait plasticity is likely a common trait among terrestrial pulmonates.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Actin Treadmilling
Actin filaments undergo polymerization and depolymerization from either end. The polymerization and depolymerization rates depend on the cytosolic concentration of free G-actins. The polymerization rate is generally higher at the plus or barbed end, while the depolymerization rate is higher at the minus or pointed end. At a steady state, critical concentration describes the concentration of free G-actin monomers at which the polymerization rate at the plus end is equal to that of the...
01:28Carbon-dioxide Fixation
Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...