ONE STEP AHEAD
Jerboas are odd-looking creatures, resembling a cross between a gerbil and a kangaroo. Their movements are rather eccentric, too. They switch between hopping, skipping, running and jumping, all on just their hind legs. New research suggests that this variation gives these desert rodents an advantage.
Biologists have found that jerboas are able to switch gaits quickly and randomly, leading to erratic changes in direction, speed and airtime. This unpredictability makes them very tricky to catch compared to more orthodox desert rodents such as jirds.
“The bipedal jerboas were much more unpredictable than the quadrupedal jirds,” says Talia Moore of the University of Michigan. “This increased unpredictability likely arises from their unique gait use and gives them an edge in the evolutionary arms race between predator and prey.”
Jerboas forage away from the safety of their burrows, while jirds are more skittish.