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Maximum speed and mechanical power output in lizards

C T Farley1

  • 1Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720-3140, USA. cfarley@socrates.berkeley.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|August 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Maximum running speed in lizards is not limited by muscular power output. Even when sprinting uphill, lizards do not reach their maximum power capacity, indicating other factors influence speed.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Animal locomotion
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Maximum running speed is a critical factor for survival in many species.
  • Previous hypotheses suggested that the mechanical power output of the muscular system limits maximal running speed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that maximum running speed is limited by muscular mechanical power production.
  • To investigate the relationship between slope, maximum speed, and mechanical power output in lizards.

Main Methods:

  • Two lizard species, Coleonyx variegatus and Eumeces skiltonianus, were studied sprinting on varying slopes.
  • External mechanical power was measured using force platforms for level sprinting.
  • Mechanical power for uphill sprinting was approximated by the power needed to lift the center of mass vertically.

Main Results:

  • Maximum running speed decreased significantly with increasing slope for both species.
  • Mechanical power required for uphill sprinting was substantially greater than for level sprinting.
  • Despite increased power demands on slopes, lizards did not appear to reach their maximal muscular power output capacity.

Conclusions:

  • The muscular system's capacity to produce power does not limit maximum running speed in these lizard species.
  • Other physiological or biomechanical factors likely determine maximal running speed.
  • Lizards may not operate at their peak power output during normal locomotion.

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