What sort of selection pressure decides that jumping is good for species survival while running isn’t? Isn’t quadruped running just all around more energy efficient?
In: Biology
Rabbits are fast A/F, can easily jump over obstacles, and when threatened by a predator, their powerfull legs help them clear the area of attack, and if caught beat themselves free.
If we consider their predators, their environment, and what they ear, hopping is a very awesome survival technique
It’s more that they evolved to have extremely powerful rear legs to allow for crazy bursts of speed and acceleration. What’s good for speed isn’t always good for walking… their crazy powerful rear legs are so crazy powerful that they make for awkward walking. Walking doesn’t keep bunnies alive like running fast does, so the selective pressure to keep the speed was stronger than the selective pressure to get rid of the awkward walk.
The hopping is what you see when they have their stress turned down to a 1. Scared rabbits run fast as fuck, and can change directions on a dime. Those things are super helpful in ensuring a given bunny lives long enough to pass its genes to the next generation
Hopping is fast over short distances to get to say a burrow and away from quick enemies. It can also be a chaotic movement, causing a distraction when hunted.
4 legs are good for short to medium distances.
2 legs will eventually catch you as it takes a lot less energy. See African tribesmen hunting antelope.
Snakes would be a prime example.
Better to get out of striking range really, REALLY fast than to get all the way across the field pretty fast. Leaps are good for getting out of the initial charge of ambush predators like that, after which they’re far less of a threat.
Kangaroos prove that a jumping locomotive form is great for distance and efficiency as well.
This is speculation, but I imagine they’re able to make abrupt turns to weave between trees and bushes when outrunning (outhopping?) predators much easier due to their hopping
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