Plantigrade

Plantigrade

In mammals, plantigrade locomotion means walking with the podials and metatarsals flat on the ground.
Primates are examples of plantigrade species; in humans, the podials and metatarsals constitute the sole of the foot. Other plantigrade species include raccoons, opossums, bears, rabbits, weasels, mice, pandas, rats, hyraxes, skunks and hedgehogs.

The members of the extinct mammalian order Creodonta displayed plantigrade locomotion. This may have led to their extinction as they were supplanted by the more efficient Carnivora. It seems that at least some pterosaurs and lizards were plantigrade as well.


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  • plantigrade — [ plɑ̃tigrad ] adj. et n. m. • les plantigrades 1795; de 1. plante et grade ♦ Qui marche sur la plante des pieds (opposé à digitigrade). L ours est un animal plantigrade. N. m. pl. Ancienne division des mammifères carnassiers. ● plantigrade… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Plantigrade — Plan ti*grade, a. [L. planta sole of the foot + gradi to walk: cf. F. plantigrade.] (Zo[ o]l.) (a) Walking on the sole of the foot; pertaining to the plantigrades. (b) Having the foot so formed that the heel touches the ground when the leg is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plantigrade — Plan ti*grade, n. (Zo[ o]l.) A plantigrade animal, or one that walks or steps on the sole of the foot, as man, and the bears. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plantigrade — (adj.) 1831, from Fr. plantigrade (1795), from Mod.L. plantigradus walking on the sole of the foot, from planta sole of the foot (see PLANT (Cf. plant) (n.)) + gradus (see GRADE (Cf. grade) (n.)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • plantigrade — [plan′tə grād΄] adj. [Fr < L planta, sole (see PLANT) + Fr grade, GRADE] walking on the whole sole, as a human or bear n. a plantigrade animal …   English World dictionary

  • plantigrade — plantigráde ž mn <N plantigrád> DEFINICIJA biol. kralješnjaci koji stupaju na podlogu cijelim stopalom (npr. čovjek, čovjekoliki majmun i sl.) ETIMOLOGIJA nlat. plantigradus ≃ planta: taban + gradus: stupanj …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • plantigrade — adjective Etymology: French, from Latin planta sole + French grade Date: 1831 walking on the sole with the heel touching the ground < humans are plantigrade > • plantigrade noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Plantigrade — Chez les mammifères, le déplacement plantigrade correspond à une façon de marcher en posant toute la plante et le métatarse du pied sur le sol. Les êtres humains sont un exemple d espèce plantigrade, au même titre que les ratons laveurs, les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • plantigrade — Walking with the entire sole and heel of the foot on the ground, as do humans and bears. [L. planta, sole, + gradior, to walk] * * * plan·ti·grade plant ə .grād adj walking on the sole with the heel touching the ground <humans are plantigrade… …   Medical dictionary

  • plantigrade — a, plantigrade, o adj. et n. plantigrade …   Diccionari Personau e Evolutiu

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