The leg, of Latin feather-leggeds , generally indicates a locomotor member.
On finds the roots Greek podos or Latin pedus in the manufacture of much of words of the French language.
Par opposition, an animal stripped of leg is called " apode".

See also: Apodal

Tétrapode S or Quadrupeds

The term of tétrapode means " who has four pattes". The term of " quadrupède" indicate the animal having a mode of locomotion to four legs.

Mammalian

Certain mammals were gathered according to the shape of their legs:

• the Artiodactyle S
• the Ongulé S
• the Périssodactyle S.

Plantigrade S

Who walks on the plant of the feet.

Elements of the legs of tétrapodes

The legs of the tétrapodes include/understand various elements associated with Os:

Hip or shoulder

with Os Iliaque and Scapula

Femur or Humérus

with Tibia and Fibula or Radius and Ulna.

Ankle and Poignet

with Tarsus S or Carp S.

Foot and Hand

with Métatarse S or Metacarpus S

Finger S or Toe S

Composed themselves of phalanges.
Ce is them which carry the Ongle S or Griffe S.

The Arthropod S

The Patte of the arthropods is articulated (arthros=articulation).

• Hexapode, animal which has six legs (the Insecte S in particular): to see Leg of the insect.
• décapode, animal which has ten legs (Crustacé S)
• Myriapodes, which has a myriad of legs (Mille-pattes)

These legs, according to let us tax, can be biramées (case of the Crustacé S) or uniramées (case of the Insectes).

Mollusc S

• Cephalopod S (" legs or feet on the tête" : Octopus))
• Gastropodous S (" leg or foot on the ventre")
• Scaphopode S (" legs or feet in form of barque")

In the case of molluscs, " pattes" are rather Tentacule S.

Secondary evolutions of the legs

The legs can be transformed into Nageoire S (Cétacé S, Pinnipède S, reptiles marine (marine tortoises, Ichtyosaures).

The legs can have disappeared during the evolution, as it is the case with the forefeet (wings) of certain birds Aptère S (case of the kiwi) or the legs posterior at the Cétacé S (Baleines).

Forefeet

The forefeet (or front legs) can be transformed into:

• a arm at the man
• a Wing (Bird, Bald person mouse)
• a digger leg (Mole, Courtilière)
• a leg kidnapper (Mante nun, common Mantispe, Nèpe)

Posterior legs

The posterior legs (or legs postpones) can be transformed into:

• of the Jambe S at the man
• of the legs Saltatrice S (Kangaroo, Frog, Grasshopper S)
• of the legs Palmé be (Palmipède S), of the fins (tortoises) or other swimming legs (Dytique, Notonecte S).

Bipédie

The bipédie characterizes the animals Bipède S, which have two legs or which go on two legs. It is an evolution compared to the quadrupédie.
Examples: Man, Bird X.
It should be noted that certain birds known as Apterous S, during their evolution, lost their wings (ex: Kiwi (bird)). They thus have indeed only two members.

French expressions with the word leg

• Bas the legs
• Removes your large legs from there
• Faire leg of velour
• Graisser the leg with somebody
• Marcher to four legs
• Montrer white leg
• Patte of elephant or Patte of EFF
• Patte of rabbit
• Spidery scrawl
• Game leg
• Patte of the wolf/Of the she-wolf

Other expressions having a bond with leg

• Gives the papatte
• Patte of Goose
• Pattemouille
• Patte! or Pathe! (local expression in certain education institutions in Nancy)

Interjection expressing a violent feeling, generally in connection with an unpleasant situation (e.g.: Ah leg! I still passed under the table!). According to the orthography of the word, various explanations can êtr given as for the origin of the mot.

• " Pathe! " would come from the Greek word " Pathos" (the suffering, passion), or of the English word " Path" (path).
• " Leg! " could be a diminutive of the expression " the leg of the loup" , which it even would find its origin in the tale " the Little Red Riding Hood " , where the recognition of the leg of the wolf is related to a situation of danger, of despair (" to show legs blanches"). It would be also possibly a reference to the leg of the Oie, animal which can, according to the legend, to lay gold eggs.

Today, the orthography with two T is most used.

Adjectives

• Feather-legged : who has large legs

See too

• Vestigial

Random links:

Magpie VII | Chavanac | Minglanilla | Cnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus | Route European 58