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They are clumsy on land, and move on land by lunging, bouncing and wiggling while their fore-flippers keep them balanced; [29] when confronted with predators, they retreat to the water as freshwater phocids have no aquatic predators. [48] The pygmy hippopotamus has four weight-bearing limbs, and can walk on land like a fully terrestrial mammal.
This suborder of fish also use a labyrinth organ to breathe air. Some species from this group can move on land. Amphibious fish from this family are the climbing perches, African and Southeast Asian fish that are capable of moving from pool to pool over land by using their pectoral fins, caudal peduncle, and gill covers as a means of locomotion.
Pinnipeds can move around on land, though not as well as terrestrial animals. Otariids and walruses are capable of turning their hind-flippers forward and under the body so they can "walk" on all fours. [48] The fore-flippers move along a transverse plane, rather than the sagittal plane like the limbs of land mammals. [49]
Some Arthropod groups can swim – including many crustaceans. Most crustaceans, such as shrimp, will usually swim by paddling with special swimming legs . Swimming crabs swim with modified walking legs . Daphnia, a crustacean, swims by beating its antennae instead. There are also a number of forms of swimming molluscs.
Native to south-east Asia, this fish has strong spines on its pectoral fins that enable its body to "walk" across dry land. It travels from waterhole to waterhole, where it seeks refuge and makes ...
Evolutionary theory says all animals that are walking on land actually evolved from sea-dwelling creatures at some point in the ancient past. To study this further, scientists from McGill ...
Loons swimming in Wood Lake, BC on a summer morning. Loons are excellent swimmers, using their feet to propel themselves above and under water. However, since their feet are located far back on the body, loons have difficulty walking on land, though they can effectively run short distances to reach water when frightened.
Typically, thick and dense bone is found in bottom feeders and low bone density is associated with mammals living in deep water. Some marine mammals, such as polar bears and otters, have retained four weight-bearing limbs and can walk on land like fully terrestrial animals. [50]