Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

The locust jump. I. The motor programme

W J Heitler, M Burrows

The Journal of Experimental Biology

|February 1, 1977

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Locusts utilize a specific motor program for defensive kicking and jumping. This program involves tibial flexor and extensor muscle coordination, controlled by motoneurons, to achieve powerful leg extension.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Modification and validation of the Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) for assessing surgical site infection in wounds healing by secondary intention.

Journal of tissue viability·2025

Same author

Jumping in lantern bugs (Hemiptera, Fulgoridae).

The Journal of experimental biology·2021

Same author

Jumping and take-off in a winged scorpion fly (Mecoptera, <i>Panorpa communis</i>).

The Journal of experimental biology·2019

Same author

Relative Susceptibility Among Alternative Host Species Prevalent in the Great Plains to Wheat streak mosaic virus.

Plant disease·2019

Same author

Impacts of Crop Variety and Time of Inoculation on the Susceptibility and Tolerance of Winter Wheat to Wheat streak mosaic virus.

Plant disease·2019

Same author

Correction: Take-off mechanisms in parasitoid wasps (doi: 10.1242/jeb.161463).

The Journal of experimental biology·2018

Same journal

Interaction between dynamic reinforcement learning and working memory of pigeon: A comparative modeling study.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same journal

Differential responses to photoperiod in juveniles of two migratory songbird species.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same journal

A Drosophila overgrowth model reveals extracellular matrix crosslinking limits cardiovascular scaling.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same journal

Control of High-speed Jumps: Removing rotation from the jumps of locusts (Schistocerca gregaria).

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same journal

Limits and mechanisms of honey bee colonial thermoregulation in the heat.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Same journal

Correction: Sprinting performance is linked to surface activity in scorpions.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

See all related articles

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Animal Behavior
Locomotion

Background:

Locusts exhibit complex motor behaviors like jumping and defensive kicking.
Understanding the neural control of these movements is crucial for deciphering motor programming.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe the motor program underlying defensive kicking in locusts.
To investigate the potential overlap of this program with the jumping motor program.

Main Methods:

Intracellular recordings were made from identified motoneurons controlling the metathoracic tibiae.
Defensive kicks were elicited in response to tactile stimuli.

Main Results:

A three-stage motor program was identified for defensive kicking.

Related Experiment Videos

Stage 1: Initial tibial flexion due to motoneuron activation.

Stage 2: Muscle co-contraction with high-frequency motoneuron firing.

Stage 3: Trigger activity terminates co-contraction, leading to tibial extension.

Conclusions:

The described motor program is likely shared between kicking and jumping behaviors in locusts.
The precise timing of motoneuron activity and inhibition is critical for successful execution of the motor program.