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Outside of microscopic structures (I'm thinking of a flagellum, which I think is a true motor) has any animal evolved a part that continually rotates compared to the rest of its body?

Anon
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BanksySan
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  • A more universal microscopic example is the ATP synthase in mitochondria. The flagellum example only applies to bacterial flagella. Can't help on macroscopic examples. – bpedit Oct 24 '16 at 20:05
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    Have a look at this: there's a reasonably well-written popular discussion of why the evolution of such a body part is very difficult to imagine. However the page does mention this as the single known macroscopic example (a rod rotated by cilia). – Anon Oct 25 '16 at 00:12
  • Not a 360 degree rotation but Owls can rotate their heads by 270 degrees without any serous damage. – Tyto alba Oct 25 '16 at 12:37
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    Duplicate http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/7932/why-are-there-no-wheeled-animals – Hugues Fontenelle Oct 25 '16 at 13:30
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    @HuguesFontenelle Not really a dupe, admitedly, if there were animals with wheels then that would answer this question but the lact of animals with wheels doesn't mean the lack of any rotational body part. – BanksySan Oct 25 '16 at 14:18
  • @SanjuktaGhosh Thanks, I had considered that though. The thing is it can rotate, it is a wind then unwind mechanism where the rotation creates increasing torque. – BanksySan Oct 25 '16 at 14:20

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