digitigrade mammal
Definition
- Noun:
- A mammal that walks on its toes: A digitigrade mammal is an animal that walks with only its toes (digits) touching the ground, while the heel and wrist are raised. This posture is characteristic of many fast-running animals.
Usage
- The term is used in zoological and anatomical contexts to describe a specific locomotion style in mammals.
- It is often contrasted with "plantigrade" (walking with the entire foot on the ground, like humans and bears) and "unguligrade" (walking on hooves, like deer and horses).
Examples
- Noun:
- The cheetah is a classic example of a digitigrade mammal, which contributes to its incredible speed.
- Cats and dogs are digitigrade mammals, unlike humans who are plantigrade.
Advanced Usage
- In Evolutionary Biology: The digitigrade stance is often discussed as an adaptation for cursorial (running) locomotion, providing advantages in speed and stride length.
- The evolution of a digitigrade posture was a key development in the lineage of predatory mammals.
Variants and Related Words
- Digitigrade (adj): Describing the posture or manner of walking.
- Dogs have a digitigrade stance.
- Digitigrady (n): The condition of being digitigrade.
Synonyms
- Toe-walker (informal/broad)
- Cursorial mammal (emphasizes the running adaptation often associated with digitigrady)
Different Meanings
- This is a specialized zoological term with a single, precise meaning related to mammalian locomotion. It does not have common alternative meanings.
Idioms
- There are no common idioms using the specific term "digitigrade mammal."
Phrasal Verbs
- There are no phrasal verbs associated with the noun "digitigrade mammal."
Noun
-
an animal that walks so that only the toes touch the ground as e.g. dogs and cats and horses
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