ANIMAL TERMS

 

Acorn- The shape of some scat. It has a point at one end and a depression at the other. They may be clumped together when more moisture is in the diet of the animal.

 

Altricial- Young that are born blind and naked.

 

Amble- The fast walk in animals where two feet are on the ground at the same time. The hind foot registers in front or anterior to the front print registration.

 

Amphibian- A cold-blooded, smooth skin vertebrate, i.e. frog, toads, etc.

 

Antler- The hard, bony, and deciduous growths on male deer and female caribou.

 

Antler Rubs- Trees that are used by ungulates to scrape the velvet off their antlers.

 

Arboreal- Animals that inhabit the trees.

 

Asymmetrical gaits - There is an uneven spacing of footfalls and the right half of the track pattern differs from the left. Examples are gallops and jumps.

 

Basking- Used in reptiles to warm their bodies to the active temperature.

 

Binomen- The two final divisions of the science of taxonomy making up Genus and Species. The Latin name for animals.

 

Bipedal- Moving on two feet.

 

Bound - A gait similar to a jump but the hind feet will register on or behind the front feet with a tendency of the two resulting prints to beat an angle to the line of travel.

 

Bound Jump (2x)- Both hopping and bounding as found in the weasel family and rodent order, for example, can be classified as bounding. This is side-by-side movement of feet. This is used as a transition application between a lope and jump.

 

Browse Line- The line caused by ungulates chewing on tree branches.

 

Browsing- Vegetation animals that feed on the leaves of trees and bushes and not on grass.

 

Canter- A gallop application that has one airborne phase. Also known as a lope gallop. This movement is a fore foot push application of the gallop.

 

Carnivore- An animal that feeds on flesh.

 

Cervical- The neck vertebra

 

Chewings- Vegetation damage by animals. Look at tree trunks, branches, and medium growth vegetation.

 

Claws- A hard material composition derived from hair. The claw consists of two parts: the unguis or top of the claw and the subunguis or bottom of the claw.

 

Clout- The three and four toes of the hoof in ungulates.

 

Collecting- The acquisition of animal protein in the form of small, relatively immobile animals, i.e. eggs, nestlings, rodents, crabs, toads, frogs, snakes, insects, etc.

 

Concertina- Movement application by snakes where it bunches its muscles at the rear and extends its front in continuous cycle of motion.

 

Convergent Toes- Toes that bend toward the foot axis. Found in duck, geese, etc.

 

Cord- The shape of some scat. They are long pieces of scat that are much longer than they are in width. The ends may be tapered or blunt.

 

Cough Pellet- The aftermath of eating prey in many bird species. The pellet is made up of hair and bones.

 

Crawl- The slow walk in humans and animals where three or four feet are on the ground at the same time.

 

Crepuscular- Those animals that are mostly active at dusk or dawn.

 

Dew claw- A toe that over time has been reduced in size and moved anatomically on the leg from the other toes. In the deer family this would be toes 2 and 5. In the dog family, it would be toe 1.

 

Diagonal Front Feet Hop- This is characteristic of animals that spend most of their time on the ground, such as rabbits, etc. The hind prints are perpendicular to the direction of travel and the fore feet are diagonal. The fore feet may change lead.

 

Diagnostic- Identification of human or animal spoor, characteristics, etc.

 

Digit- One toe of an animal.

 

Digitigrade- Mammals that place only their toes on the ground when moving.

 

Dimorphism- The presence of different features in the male and female of the same species.

 

Direct Register - When the hind footsteps on top of the front foot. Occurs in animals moving cautiously.

 

Diurnal- Those animals that are active during the day.

 

Divergent Toes- Toes that move apart from a common point, foot axis.

 

Estrus- A regularly recurrent ovulation in female mammals.

 

Foraging- The searching for and eating of plant foods as they are found while on the move.

 

Fore- front

 

Fore foot- The front feet in animals. The leading foot in humans.

 

Fossorial- Burrowing

 

Frugivorous- Feeding of fruit

 

Gait - The pace the animal was traveling when it made the track; The position of the footprints in relation to each other; Each gait leaves a coordinated pattern of movements used by an animal when it moves. Some common gait examples are; walk, trot, jump, bound, lope, and gallop.

 

Gallop  - The tracks of the four feet are often closely grouped and the stride is at its greatest. The gallop is fast or slow. The slow gallop or canter has one airborne phase springing from the fore feet. The fast gallop may have a secondary airborne phases springing from the hind feet. Tracks left by the hind feet are ahead of the tracks left by the front feet; Fastest of the gaits and leaves an asymmetrical spoor pattern.

 

Gathering- The searching for and transporting of plant foods to a home base or midday-rest location, to be processed and shared with other members of the clan.

 

Grazing- Feeding on grasses. The squared-off ends of grass vegetation that have begun to brown. The feeding application of the ungulate family.

 

Group – A complete set of prints left after a leap. Usually measured from the leading end of the pattern to the trailing end of the same pattern to include prints from all four feet.

 

Habitat- Where an animal lives.

 

Hallucal Pad- The inside plantar pad of the hind foot.

 

Heat- Monestrous process in females for mating.

 

Herbivore- An animal that feeds on plants, both browsing and grazing.

 

Heterothermic- An animal whose body temperature depends on the ambient temperature.

 

Hind- back

 

Homoeothermic- An animal that controls its own body temperature by means of mechanisms within its own body.

 

Horn- The hard, permanent material projecting from animals. The outer portion is made of keratin and the center is bone.

 

Insectivore- An animal that feeds on insects.

 

Intergroup Distance – A measurement taken of the negative space located between sets of tracks in a leaping gait. Measured from the leading point of one group to the trailing point of the next group.

 

Interhoof- The portion between the hooves of ungulates.

 

Jump – (general) A gait where movement off the rear feet occurs simultaneously and with equal force and landing is on the forelegs. Hind legs usually show laterally and forward of the front legs in the spoor group left behind. There are five VTPs in the jump: 2x bound, 3x jump, paired front feet hop, diagonal front feet hop, and stot.

 

Jump (3x)- The jumping VTP used for short distances and for quick jumps. This pattern is found common in felines and only three prints show in the trail because one is covered by the landing of three feet.

 

Leap - Generic for sudden movements where at one point all the feet are off the ground at one time as in a bound or jump.

 

Leaping- Propulsion in amphibians using their long, powerful hindlimbs.

 

Length of the Track- From heel to end of toe in humans. From interdigital pads to end of toe pads in other mammals, but does not include dew claws. From convergent point to end of claws in birds.

 

Lope – The slower galloping gaits that consist of 2x trot (dogs), 4x gallop (dogs), 1-2-1x gallop(weasel). The transverse and rota should not be considered lopes because they are asymmetrical.

 

Malodorous- Foul odor

 

Mammal- A warm-blooded vertebrate with hair and in female, Mammae.

 

Mandible- The lower jaw.

 

Maxilla- The upper jaw.

 

Metacarpal pad-  Proximal pads of the fore feet.

 

Metatarsal pad-  Proximal pads of the hind feet.

 

Niche- The specific place taken up by an animal in the wilds, i.e. habitat, habits, activity, etc.

 

Nocturnal- Those animals that are active at night.

 

Normal Walk- The common movement application of some animals and humans.

 

Omnivores- Animal that eats both animal and vegetable.

 

Oval- The shape of some scat. They are longer than wide.

 

Oviparous- Egg-laying

 

Pad- The sole of an animals feet that contains a smooth or rough callus.

 

Pace - An animal gait where by lateral feet, one fore and one hind, move together.

 

Paired Front Feet Hop- This VTP is characteristic of those animals that spend time in trees. Both fore feet are lined up together or perpendicular to the line of travel.

 

Piscivores- Fish-eaters

 

Plantar Pad- Pad on the foot that is behind the toe pads. Also called interdigital pad or intermediate pad.

 

Plantigrade- Mammals that place their whole foot on the ground when moving. The heel to toe flexing process.

 

Pollical pad- The inside plantar pad of the fore foot.

 

Precocial- Young born that have hair and their eyes are open from birth.

 

Predation- The killing of highly mobile prey without the use of weapons or other cultural means. To overcome prey the predator relies solely on the biological adapted abilities of stealth, speed, endurance, strength, or superior numbers.

 

Proximal Pad- Pad on the foot that is behind the Plantar pads. There are one or two proximal pads. One the fore feet they are called metacarpal pads and on the hind they are called metatarsal pads. The proximal pads form the heel of the foot. Also known as metapodial pads.

 

Quadrapedal- Moving on all four feet.

 

Quarry Spoor Formula (QSF)- The shorthand method of classification of animal and human registration. Fore foot is designated with an (f) and hind foot with an (h). Whichever foot is largest is capitalized (F) or (H). The number of toes is designated with the number, i.e. 1-2-3-4-5, this number is what the family has that can register in the best impression. A designation next to the number is exactly how many toes are showing in the substrate. This number is put in parenthesis. Then, the next designation is for the claws. A “C” with a “U” around it designates that claws usually show. A “C” in a circle designates that the claws often show, A “C” in parenthesis designates that claws rarely show. A “C” with a line through it means the claws never show.

 

Reptile- A cold-blooded egg-laying vertebrate having an outer covering of scales or horny plates, i.e. crocodile, lizard, snake, turtle, etc.

 

Rotatory- Circle

 

Rotatory Gallop- This gallop application is circular in footfall pattern and forms a “C” shape registration. The right fore, right hind, left hind, and then left fore. Seen in the families of deer, dog and antelope.

 

Scavenging- The obtaining of meat from carcasses of animals killed by other species, or of animals that died of non-predatory causes.

 

Scatology- The science of studying scat.

 

Scent Mark- The marking of territory and signaling availability for mating.

 

Serpentine- Movement application in snakes where they push their body against irregularities on the ground. This is the most common movement pattern in snakes.

 

Sexual Dimorphism- The size difference within species between male and female.

 

Slides- Belly rubs on the muddy banks or in snow by an animal.

 

Stot-  A jumping method where all four feet leave the ground at the same time. Common movement application in the deer family.

 

Subunguis- The soft under portion of the claw or nail. In ungulates, this consists of the sole.

 

Symmetrical- There is an even spacing of footfalls and the right half of the track pattern differs from the left. Examples are trotting and walking.

 

Symmetrical gates - The interval between footfalls is evenly spaced, and spoor patterns are symmetrical for the right and left sides of the trail. Examples are a walk and a trot.

 

Taxonomy- A branch of the natural sciences that deals with the classification of living things.

 

Tetrapod- Vertebrates with four limbs.

 

Toe Pad- The soft portion just below the tip of the toe.

 

Transverse Gallop- The order of footfalls is in the pattern of a cross and registers in a “Z” shape. Where footfall one is with left forefoot, then right hind foot, left hind, then right fore. The sequence can be done with either left or right fore lead. Seen in the families of feline, horse, and buffalo.

 

Tree Scrapes- Trees marked by scenting, rubbing, clawing, and chewing. Seen by the families of bear and cat.

 

Trot – The two diagonal feet move simultaneously. (Slow Trot)The track positions are similar to those in the walk but the strides are greater and straddle narrower. (Fast Trot)Tracks left by the hind feet generally appear in front of the tracks left by the front feet. Track patterns are in-groups of two. As speed increases so does the overstep of the hind foot and the stride. (Side-by-Side Trot) The track positions are both fore feet are on one side and both hind feet are on one side. This is also known as the 2x Trot. An energy efficient mode of movement.

 

Tubercle- a small knobby growth on the sole of the feet of amphibians and reptiles.

 

Unguis- Top hardened portion of the claw or nail. In ungulates the hoof wall is the unguis.

 

Unguligrade- Mammals that place only their toenails on the ground when moving.

 

Urination- This is a spoor sign that can give clues to the sex of the quarry.

 

Velvet- The soft coating on newly developing antlers.

 

Vertebrate- An animal with a backbone or spine.

 

Webbing- a very thin membrane the attaches between the toes of animals. There are four types of webbing:

 

          Fringe webbing- attached to only one toe.

          Proximal webbing- attached at the base.

          Mesial webbing- Attached midway

          Distal webbing- attached up to the tips