Pivot joint Pivot joint In animal anatomy, a pivot joint (trochoid joint, rotary joint, lateral ginglymus) is a type of synovial joint. In pivot joints, the axis of a convex articular surface is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bone. According to one classification system, a pivot joint like the other synovial joint —the hinge joint has one degree of freedom. Note that the degrees of freedom of a joint is not the same as the same as joint's range of motion. Pivot joints allow for rotation, which can be external (for example when rotating an arm outward), or internal (as
Flying and gliding animals that many gliding animals eat low energy foods such as leaves and are restricted to gliding because of this, whereas flying animals eat more high energy foods such as fruits, nectar, and insects. In contrast to flight, gliding has evolved independently many times (more than a dozen times among extant vertebrates); however these groups have not radiated nearly as much as have groups of flying animals. Worldwide, the distribution of gliding animals is uneven as most inhabit rain forests in Southeast Asia. (Despite seemingly suitable rain forest habitats, few gliders are found in India or New Guinea and none in