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Black-crested gibbon in tree foliage looking towards the camera

Tree dweller

Tree dwelling, or arboreal, animals are particularly well adapted to spending most or all of their time in trees. They range from tiny invertebrates to huge orangutans. At the medium to large end of the size spectrum, special physical adaptations aid locomotion up and through the trees, such as prehensile tails, specially adapted claws and loose joints for easy swinging.

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About

Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In every habitat in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may only scale trees occasionally, while others are exclusively arboreal. These habitats pose numerous mechanical challenges to animals moving through them, leading to a variety of anatomical, behavioral and ecological consequences. Furthermore, many of these same principles may be applied to climbing without trees, such as on rock piles or mountains.

The earliest known tetrapod with specializations that adapted it for climbing trees, was Suminia, a synapsid of the late Permian, about 260 million years ago.

Some invertebrate animals are exclusively arboreal in habitat, for example, see tree snail.

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Behaviours

Other Behavioural pattern behaviours

Habitats

Habitats where this adaptation is useful

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