What is bipedalism?
Q: What is bipedalism?
A: Bipedalism is a form of movement on the ground in which an animal uses their rear limbs to move on two legs.
Q: Are all bipeds habitual bipeds?
A: No, there are some animals that are optional bipeds, which means they can move on two or four legs.
Q: Did all early quadruped animals use all four limbs for locomotion?
A: Yes, early quadruped animals used all four limbs for locomotion before many later ones evolved to become bipedal.
Q: Were the earliest dinosaurs bipedal?
A: Yes, the earliest dinosaurs were bipedal, but some later evolved to become quadrupeds.
Q: What are birds in relation to bipedalism?
A: Birds are descendants of bipedal dinosaurs and are bipeds themselves.
Q: How have birds' forelimbs evolved?
A: Birds' forelimbs have evolved into wings.
Q: Why might some optional bipeds stand on two legs?
A: Some optional bipeds stand on two legs to drive away competitors and predators, to see farther, or as body language.
