Cloister (biology)
The cloister is a four-legged ( quadruped ) form of locomotion of the terrestrial vertebrates , in which the extremities on the trunk, i.e. the right front leg and left hind leg or left front leg and right hind leg, are more or less simultaneously lifted off the ground and put back on again . In terrestrial vertebrates, in which the legs protrude laterally from the torso (splay gait ), such as lizards (lacertilia), this results in a snaking gait. If, on the other hand, the legs are straight under the trunk (stalk), as is typical for mammals , one speaks of trot or gallop , especially in connection with horses . The fact that crocodiles can also “gallop” at full speed indicates that these actually typically lizard-like animals descend from less typical lizard-like ancestors and thus occupy a special position among recent reptiles .
Analogous to four-legged locomotion, it is called a cloister when a person climbs a ladder with his left hand and right foot or right hand and left foot at the same time up a rung.
