The World's Only Galloping Insect Runs Like A Race Horse

Most insects walk with an ambling, tripod gait, keeping at least three legs on the ground while the others move. But somewhere along the line, three species of dung beetle decided to break away from the alternating-leg pack, developing the only gallop in the insect world.

Instead of moving legs on each side separately, Pachysoma endroedyi, P. hippocrates and P. glentoni move each set of legs in synch, like a bounding rabbit or a speedy horse. Why exactly these beetles might have developed this gallop is unclear.