Biology 102 Lab Worksheet 4

Delaney Burton

September 30, 2015

Wednesday 9:05

Question: For Each animal discuss in your own words how the limb structure contributes to locomotion in that particular animal. This should be in a separate word document that you should turn in next lab period with your lab work.

1. Human vs. Chimp

The human’s arm limbs are made up of a humerus, ulna, radius, carpals, and phalanges. This structure allows us to reach, grab, touch, and bend. This structure helps us survive in many ways, one being that we are able to grab a fork, spoon, or knife to help us eat our food in which provides nutrients for our bodies. Our legs are made up of a femur, tibia fibula, tarsals, and phalanges. This bone structure allows us to bend our legs and jump, take steps to walk or run, and many more. This contributes to human survival in one way by allowing us to use our legs for exercise so that we can stay healthy and live longer lives. Similarly, The chimp has the one bone, two bone, phalanges, structure. However, a chimp’s phalanges are much longer than those of humans. This is so that they can perform a type of locomotion that involves knuckle walking. Knuckle walking isn’t the only form of moving a chimp can use. A Chimps bone structure allows them to walk on their feet and swing from tree to tree as well.

2. Cat

A cat has a two bone – one bone- phalanges structure in both of its arms and its legs. This bone structure does not allow the cat to stand on two feet alone. However, it does allow the cat to pounce, sit, and lay down.

3. Pigeon vs. Bat

Both a pigeon and a bat contain the same bone structure mentioned previously, but vary quite differently when it comes to the phalanges. In the phalanges in a pigeon’s arms it only has on bone. This bone structure helps the pigeon fly. In a bat’s phalanges connected to its arm, there are 5 bones rather than just one. This helps a bat flaw as well, however, the 5 phalanges also help the bat wrap itself up with its...