waaaay off topic: Animals Who Roll Themselves into Balls

[itsflantastic]

Hi knowledgeable bicycle riders!

I need names of animals who roll themselves into balls for defense or locomotion.

my list so far:

hedgehog
some armadillos
pangolin
some esoteric shrimp and caterpillar

the more common the better!

let the googling commence.

(I'll be doing the same! If you need a way to justify this being on a bicycle forum - - - some of these animals then roll like wheels and so the bicycle is therefore related... rolling locomotion.)

thanks for the help, it's actually VERY important! :cool:

[72gmc]

Echidna? Or is that just hedgehog in Australian?

Potato bugs too. Can't remember the real name for them... lift a rock and ask.

I rolled into a ball to defend myself from Jose Cuervo once. Didn't work.

[rustychisel]

Echidna = monotreme
Hedgehog = mammal

a real live example of convergent evolution.

Some opossum and possum species, millipedes, redback spiders (aka black widow and they're mimicking death), and most wrestlers and extreme fighters AFAIK.

[M.Sommers]

George Hincapie?

[flickwet]

echidna= mammal=monotreme

opossum= mammal= marsupial

Hedgehog= mammal= placental

If I recall echidnas and platypus's are mammals as are opossums and Kangaroos and lions and tigers and bears

other into ball rolling animals:

1. Common wood louse (pillbug)
2. Frenchman
3. Chris Angel

[Karin Kirk]

trilobites

[Louis]

Tribbles?

[itsflantastic]

You've given yourself away as a Trekkie :)

Oh no... so did I ...


Thanks for all of the inpuT!

[rustychisel]

I think you'll get a reasonable argument based on the definitions of mammal. Viviparous vs oviparous and bodily cooling mechanisms, for example. I grant you there's ongoing debate over classification but it takes a dim mind and a long view of 'lumping' (see Stephen J Gould) to call the only two surviving member of the monotremata 'mammals'.

[flickwet]

your more knowledgeable about the issue than I am rustychisel and, may I add; too kind in your personal assessments. I think, slowly of course, I will take my "dim mind" for a bike ride.

[Too Tall]

Dangit Kirk you pipped me, had that answer queued up.
Meal worms
Many many protozoans

[capybaras]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7385949.stm

[Kevan]

somersault.

[Sandy]

somersault.

You can't do no somersault. :)


:banana: Spectacular Stupendous Superior Special Somersaulting Serotta Sandy :banana:

[Bob Ross]

the more common the better!

Guess that rules out the Ouroborus...

[William]

You can't do no somersault. :)


:banana: Spectacular Stupendous Superior Special Somersaulting Serotta Sandy :banana:


http://www.madison.com/communities/MuirPE/library/files/Muir%20forward%20roll.JPG




:)

[konstantkarma]

Hockey players included? :rolleyes: Claude Lemieux

Go Wings!

[M.Sommers]

Rich Hincapie? Did he even ride in the 3S3M last week?

[thejen12]

Dogs and cats roll up in a ball when they sleep, probably for defense.

Jenn

[Sandy]

Dogs and cats roll up in a ball when they sleep, probably for defense.

Jenn

Interesting. My dog always rolls up into a ball when he goes to sleep at night and often does the same when he is snuggled close to me on a sofa and taking a nap. Had no idea that was for defense. It is also interesting to watch a dog position himself for the final position before he lays down to sleep. Do cats do the same thing, I wonder.

Sleepy Sandy

[William]

Hockey players included? :rolleyes: Claude Lemieux

Go Wings!


Ahhhh, aka: The Turtle.

He should be on his back with blades facing opponent.







William

[72gmc]

Every picture of Claude Lemieux should show him taking a punch.

Wish I had a photo of the Flyers-Canadiens pre-ice skate brawl from the '86 playoffs. I recall big Dave Brown had a Lemieux rolled up in a ball that day.

[Karin Kirk]

It is also interesting to watch a dog position himself for the final position before he lays down to sleep. Do cats do the same thing, I wonder.

Most definitely. We've observed a full 720 degrees of rotation before settling in.

[Sandy]

Most definitely. We've observed a full 720 degrees of rotation before settling in.

Neat. I dodn't know that at all about cats.

Are you sure that Dave didn't just give your cats some Montana Moonshine and they were stone drunk?? :)


Sober Schlitz Sandy

[myette10]

Hockey players included? :rolleyes: Claude Lemieux

Go Wings!
March 26, 1997. What a game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0dr_H6gY2Q) . Go Wings indeed.

[cadence231]

PILL BUG (http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/pictures/Busters/pillbug.jpg) AKA Rolly Polly.
They are crustaceans and live under rocks and stuff. I believe they are also known as Potato Bugs as 72gmc referred to.