Page 31 - Amphibian

Foot in
Foot ready to lift forward
for next step position ready
to push body
forward

FORWARD MARCH
3The third step completes
the sequence, with the front left
and right hind feet moving Foot ready to
together. In addition to pushing lift and move
Foot in the salamander forward, this forward
forward alternate and opposite walking pattern
Foot about to position pushes the middle of its body from side to side.
lift and move ready to This swaying motion, which increases with the
forward push body walking speed, looks just like a baby crawling.
forward

UNDULATING CAECILIANS
Most caecilians live in soft earth or in the leaf litter of the
tropical rain forest floor. About 20 species live in water and
swim using undulating, or wavelike, movements like the one
Foot in above. All caecilians can burrow – they push their head into
forward the soil and open up the hole with movements of the neck.
position Then they either “swim” forward through the soil (using
ready for undulating movements passing back along the body) or use
next step a special, wormlike accordion movement, where the spine
(pp. 10–11) folds inside the body.
NEXT STEP ON
2With the next step the front right Foot ready to lift Foot
and left hind feet of the salamander move for next step pressing
together, while the other two feet remain down
in the same position on the ground
getting ready to push the body forward.

Foot pressing on
surface, ready to
push body forward
NEWT WALK
When on land and moving at slow speed, newts walk in a similar
Foot ready to way to salamanders. This view from beneath shows which foot is
Foot about lift and move actively pressing against the surface, pushing the newt forward, and
to lift body forward which is being lifted off the surface before being put down again.
When in water, the newt is lighter and more buoyant (just as a
person is in a swimming pool)
and often uses just the tips of
its fingers and toes to walk
over the muddy bottom of
Foot its pond.
pressing
down
Foot
ready to
lift and move
View from below, showing body forward
how a newt walks

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