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Our predictions of body speed show good agreement with observations, demonstrating that snake propulsion on flat ground, and possibly in general, relies critically on the frictional anisotropy of their scales. We have also highlighted the importance of weight distribution in lateral undulation, previously difficult to visualize and hence assumed uniform. The ability to redistribute weight, clearly of importance when appendages are airborne in limbed locomotion, has a much broader generality, as shown by its role in improving limbless locomotion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0812533106","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,6,8]],"date-time":"2009-06-08T22:19:03Z","timestamp":1244499543000},"page":"10081-10085","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.cm10313","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":337,"title":["The mechanics of slithering locomotion"],"prefix":"10.1073","volume":"106","author":[{"given":"David L.","family":"Hu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10003; and"},{"name":"Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jasmine","family":"Nirody","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10003; and"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Terri","family":"Scott","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10003; and"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael J.","family":"Shelley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Mathematics Laboratory, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10003; and"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"341","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2009,6,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_3_1_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.249.4968.524"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_2_2","unstructured":"D Cundall Functional morphology in Snakes: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology . eds RA Siegel JT Collins SS Novak (Blackburn Caldwell NJ) pp. 106\u2013140 (1987)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_3_2","first-page":"283","volume-title":"Life of Reptiles","author":"Bellairs A","year":"1970","unstructured":"A Bellairs Life of Reptiles (Universe Books, New York) Vol 2, 283\u2013331 (1970)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_4_2","volume-title":"The Locomotion of Soft-Bodied Animals","author":"Trueman ER","year":"1975","unstructured":"ER Trueman The Locomotion of Soft-Bodied Animals (Edward Arnold, London, 1975)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1063\/1.2102927"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.23.2.101"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.26.4.354"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1445288"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_9_2","first-page":"12","article-title":"Slide-pushing: A transitional locomotor method of elongate squamates","volume":"52","author":"Gans C","year":"1984","unstructured":"C Gans, Slide-pushing: A transitional locomotor method of elongate squamates. 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