Abstract
This paper describes the locomotive functions of a cirolanid isopod, Excirolana chiltoni Richardson, from the viewpoint of mechanics. The behavior of isopods in the laboratory was analyzed with the high speed video camera system. Both free swimming and tethered swimming of cirolanid isopods were analyzed quantitatively. Some locomotive modes of cirolanid isopods were found out, that is, swimming in water, walking in air, and burrowing into the sediment were observed. The results of a series of observation and analysis revealed the locomotive characteristics of cirolanid isopods, such as the swimming velocity, swimming leg tip path, walking vertical walls and climbing velocities in air, and burrowing velocity into sand, and so forth.
