dc.contributor	Rachootin, Stan
dc.contributor.advisor	Woodard, Craig
dc.contributor.advisor	Irschick, Duncan
dc.contributor.author	Saraf, Maria
dc.date.accessioned	2016-07-01T13:22:12Z
dc.date.available	2016-07-01T13:22:12Z
dc.date.gradyear	2016	en_US
dc.date.issued	2016-07-01
dc.description.abstract	Various morphological traits and behaviors have evolved to facilitate a gecko's ability to climb vertically. The gecko relies on the structural elements of its toepads to maximize adhesive force and enable easy release from the substrate. Thus, toepad adhesion plays an important role in the locomotive behavior of the gecko and influences how it maximizes adhesion efficiency. The change from a horizontal surface to an incline prompts the geckos to alter their gaits to deploy their adhesive system which accommodates for the different gravitational and frictional forces acting on them. Current research on geckos has looked at gecko toepad properties and locomotion on flat surfaces, but there has been little to no research on how gecko locomotion compensates for the unique challenges of walking on curved surfaces. By analyzing the locomotion on poles (of varying thickness) for two species of geckos, Rhacodactylus auriculatus and the Correlophus ciliates, this study found that both the stride lengths and frequencies decreased as the diameter of the pole decreased, indicating that shorter, slower steps help the animal maintain balance. The gecko's body also moves closer to the surface of the substrate for increased stability while the tail acts as a fifth appendage when necessary.	en_US
dc.description.sponsorship	Biological Sciences	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10166/3916
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.rights.restricted	public	en_US
dc.subject	Gecko	en_US
dc.subject	Locomotion	en_US
dc.subject	Crested gecko	en_US
dc.subject	Gargoyle gecko	en_US
dc.title	Analysis Of The Crested And Gargoyle Geckos' Locomotion And Toepad Activity On Horizontal And Vertical Poles Of Varying Thickness	en_US
dc.type	Thesis
mhc.degree	Undergraduate	en_US
mhc.institution	Mount Holyoke College

Analysis Of The Crested And Gargoyle Geckos' Locomotion And Toepad Activity On Horizontal And Vertical Poles Of Varying Thickness

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