Many Animal Species Could Gallop in the Past

Galloping is a phrase that comes from the way horses run at full speed while their gallops do not touch the ground at the same time. This feature, which is identified with horses today, was also seen in many different animals millions of years ago, according to scientists.

When you think about it, you may not be able to imagine any animal galloping apart from horses. Scientists said that abilities such as jumping and galloping first appeared in mammals 210 million years ago. But new research has revealed that this is not the case, and most animals, other than horses, were able to gallop long ago.

Millions of years ago many interesting animals could gallop

McElroy and Michael Granatosky of the New York Institute of Technology, USA, thought that animals may have developed walking and running abilities much earlier than thought, and this curiosity prompted them to investigate the past of animals. Previous research had shown that mammals first emerged 210 million years ago with asymmetrical locomotion abilities such as jumping, leaping, and galloping. This research by the duo revealed that animals had these abilities long before the previous research. Known to use asymmetrical foot gaits Researchers studying 308 animal species, The ancestors of many animals, including fish, used their limbs to push themselves or remove them from their environment. able to coordinate asymmetrically discovered.

After months of research, 472 million years ago before there was even human life on land; animals jumping, leaping and galloping It turned out that he had such talents. According to the research, those who have lost these abilities today crocodiles, elephants, lizards, frogs and many other animal species were able to gallop millions of years ago. However, scientists also note that galloping or being able to move asymmetrically is not just a behavior style unique to mammals. According to the information obtained, the ancestors of some fish species could propel themselves along a seabed with the help of their fins.

Scientists suggest that animals that have lost the ability to move asymmetrically may have lost the nerves that coordinate their movements to this day, and that it was because they were too old to take off or move their limbs any faster.