{
  "id": 19155407,
  "title": "Trunk muscle activity across various trunk-limb coordination patterns in centipede locomotion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/trunk-muscle-activity-across-various-trunk-limb-coordination-patterns",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-09T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.05.764723v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Trunk muscle activity in centipedes varies depending on their locomotion patterns, as revealed by simultaneous recording of electromyograms and kinematics. Two centipede species were observed displaying both retrograde and direct locomotor waves during swimming and walking. During swimming, trunk muscle activity maintained a consistent phase relationship with trunk bending in both species, regardless of the wave direction or limb involvement, indicating a common mechanism for active undulation generation. For fast walking, trunk muscle activity was most pronounced around the ipsilateral swing phase in the centipede Scolopendra mutilans, exhibiting retrograde waves. Conversely, in the centipede Scolopocryptops rubiginosus, displaying direct waves, trunk muscle activity was weaker and aligned with the ipsilateral stance phase despite the nearly straight trunk posture. The study concludes that the same trunk muscles fulfill two contrasting mechanical functions, depending on the locomotion mode: either generating undulation or actively counteracting trunk deformation induced by limb movements.",
  "summary": "Animals coordinate movements of their limbs and flexible bodies, yet how trunk muscle activity changes across locomotor patterns remains unclear. We simultaneously recorded electromyograms from trunk muscles (deep dorsal oblique muscles) and trunk-limb kinematics in two centipede species exhibiting retrograde and direct locomotor waves during swimming and walking. During swimming, trunk muscle…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}