University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University Avenue, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
University of Washington School of Medicine, WWAMI Regional Medical Education Program, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
J Exp Biol. 2018 Jun 15;221(Pt 12):jeb161661. doi: 10.1242/jeb.161661.
Bipedal hopping is a specialized mode of locomotion that has arisen independently in at least five groups of mammals. We review the evolutionary origins of these groups, examine three of the most prominent hypotheses for why bipedal hopping may have arisen, and discuss how this unique mode of locomotion influences the behavior and ecology of modern species. While all bipedal hoppers share generally similar body plans, differences in underlying musculoskeletal anatomy influence what performance benefits each group may derive from this mode of locomotion. Based on a review of the literature, we conclude that the most likely reason that bipedal hopping evolved is associated with predator avoidance by relatively small species in forested environments. Yet, the morphological specializations associated with this mode of locomotion have facilitated the secondary acquisition of performance characteristics that enable these species to be highly successful in ecologically demanding environments such as deserts. We refute many long-held misunderstandings about the origins of bipedal hopping and identify potential areas of research that would advance the understanding of this mode of locomotion.
两足跳跃是一种特殊的运动方式，至少在五个哺乳动物群体中独立出现。我们回顾了这些群体的进化起源，考察了两足跳跃可能出现的三个最突出的假说，并讨论了这种独特的运动方式如何影响现代物种的行为和生态。虽然所有的两足跳跃者都有相似的身体结构，但潜在的肌肉骨骼解剖结构的差异影响了每个群体从这种运动方式中获得的性能优势。通过对文献的回顾，我们得出的结论是，两足跳跃进化的最可能原因与森林环境中小体型物种躲避捕食者有关。然而，与这种运动方式相关的形态特化促进了次要性能特征的获得，使这些物种在沙漠等生态要求较高的环境中非常成功。我们驳斥了许多关于两足跳跃起源的长期误解，并确定了可能会推进对这种运动方式理解的研究领域。
