Rectilinear locomotion or rectilinear progression is a mode of locomotion most often associated with snakes. In particular, it is associated with heavy-bodied species such as terrestrial African adders, pythons and boas; however, most snakes are capable of it.[1] It is one of at least five forms of locomotion used by snakes, the others being lateral undulation, sidewinding, concertina movement, and slide-pushing.[2][3] Unlike all other modes of snake locomotion, which include the snake bending its body, the snake flexes its body only when turning in rectilinear locomotion.[1][4]
- ^ a b C. Gans (1986). Locomotion of Limbless Vertebrates: Pattern and Evolution.
- ^ Gray, J. (1946). "The mechanism of locomotion in snakes" (PDF). The Journal of Experimental Biology. 23 (2): 101–120. doi:10.1242/jeb.23.2.101. PMID 20281580.
- ^ Gans, Carl (1984). "Slide-pushing: a transitional locomotor method of elongate squamates". Symposium of the Zoological Society of London. 52: 12–26.
- ^ Bogert, Charles (1947). "Rectilinear locomotion in snakes". Copeia. 1947 (4): 253–254. doi:10.2307/1438921. JSTOR 1438921.