Stances in the Mammalian World

Land mammals have different forms of stances. The main three catagories are plantigrade, digitigrade, and unguligrade. Plantigrade means that animal's heal touches the ground as it moves and usually indicates an ambulatory or walking way of movement. Examples of plantigrades are bears, apes, and humans. Digitigrades are animals that stand on their toes or digits when the walk like cats and dogs. They are usually more of a cursorial or running motion. Lastly unguligrades are animals that move on their hooves or toenails, featured in cursorial moving animals like horses and deer.