"The Unique Five-Limbed Terrestrial Animal: Unveiling Earth's Singular Species"
The red kangaroo is the only five-limbed terrestrial animal on Earth, according to a study published in the journal Biology Letters. Researchers found that the kangaroo uses its tail as a limb to propel itself forward while walking, in a gait called "pentapedal." The tail of a kangaroo is equipped with highly articulated vertebrae and thick muscle, providing propulsive force equivalent to all four other limbs combined. The study suggests that the red kangaroo is the only vertebrate on the planet with five limbs.