SphericCube | 07 May 2019 3:04 a.m. PST |
Do long tails on bipedal species make any sense from a biomechanics perspective? They are extensions of the spine and most often used for balance after all. Thoughts and opinions? |
robert piepenbrink | 07 May 2019 3:31 a.m. PST |
Hmmm. So all those reconstructed Tyranosaurs with two pretty much vestigial front legs, two serious back legs and a tail are suspect? Generally, the closer something gets to what we know has been done, the more confident I am that it can be done. But I don't know that this would keep me from a nice-looking batch of castings. |
Insomniac | 07 May 2019 4:02 a.m. PST |
I guess that it depends on what sort of a tail it is. Monkeys have a tail and they are often bi-pedal when they move about… but their tail is used more as an extra arm and is due to their environment (trees). I can see no reason why an arborial species of bipeds shouldn't have a tail… so there is that. As for the balance thing (like with dinosaurs), there are plenty of dinosaurs with longer forward limbs than a T-Rex (Velociraptor for one) that still have a tail… so that works for me. There could also be the Aeon Flux variety of tail… one that has been surgically fitted to give the biped more options (a sniper in Aeon Flux had hands grafted on, where her feet would normally be)… so that would work for me as an 'extra hand'(like primates). It all depends on what sort of biped you are talking about, what environment they come from and what sort of backstory you come up with. I think that an assassin would gain immensely from having a tail… both for balance and an extra hand for holding a weapon… |
Bede19002 | 07 May 2019 4:49 a.m. PST |
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Frederick | 07 May 2019 8:01 a.m. PST |
Depends why – a vestigial tail seems silly, but for balance makes sense |
Covert Walrus | 07 May 2019 1:01 p.m. PST |
Wearing my biologist hat – No problem at all for a bipedal species to have a tail, in fact it may be advantageous. Assuming the creature is as upright in stance as a human, a logn tail may not be a *necessity* but neither is it any disadvanatge, so it wouldn't be lost; It might become useless for tasks it once performed or "vestigial" but still part of the body. However, you could have a humanoid with a tail that is less human and more functional; The Mersians from Fred Pohl's "Dominic Flandry" universe have a solid tail the length of their legs but are otherwise humnaoid – the tail is used for balance when running at speed, as a bludgeoning weapon in combat, and as a "kickstand" when at rest. ( Illustrated here – link ). Neli Creoruska makes a good point – Kangaroos or similar forms use their tails as counterwieghts for their locomotion, using them to allow the body to move in such a way as to utilise litle energy in fast motion – A Red kangaroo travelling at 30Km/h uses as much energy as a human travelling at waklking pace ( 4 Km/h ). Alien forms might indeed copy that example, as did the the Lithians in Blish's "A Case Of Conscience" ( Reference – link ) Tails might also have other purposes, like fat storage, that could be useful even in a humanoid form. |
Lion in the Stars | 07 May 2019 1:31 p.m. PST |
Things that walk like humans (technical term is plantigrade) don't need a tail for balance. Things that walk on their toes like cats and 'roos (digitigrade) DO need a tail for balance. |
Zephyr1 | 07 May 2019 2:33 p.m. PST |
Having a tail was one sure way of getting into The Weekly World News… ;-) |
MajorB | 07 May 2019 3:03 p.m. PST |
Tails are acceptable if they are needed for balance. |
coopman | 08 May 2019 5:13 a.m. PST |
It does make putting a pair of pants on rather difficult though. |
Dynaman8789 | 08 May 2019 9:21 a.m. PST |
Too many species that have a tail and two legs for it not to make sense. |
HMS Exeter | 09 May 2019 6:31 a.m. PST |
So, the alternatives for bipeds with tails are: a) acceptable, b) stupid. Inasmuch as all politicians are bipeds… Acceptable politicians must have tails Stupid politicians must not. Therefore Politicians who do not have tails are stupid. Makes sense to me. VOTE TAILS! COMBAT STUPID! |
Lion in the Stars | 09 May 2019 4:40 p.m. PST |
I'm pretty sure that is insulting to all the bipeds that do have tails, KPinder! |