ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Muscular hydrostat

Imagine you are holding a balloon filled with water. If you squeeze the top and bottom of the balloon, the water inside will be forced out to the sides. This is how a muscular hydrostat works.

In simple terms, a muscular hydrostat is a structure made of muscles and/or other soft tissues that use the force of their contractions to change shape and move objects. Think of it like a very strong and flexible arm that doesn't have any bones.

One famous example of a muscular hydrostat is the elephant trunk. The elephant trunk has no bones, but it is made up of multiple layers of muscle that can work together to create different shapes and movements. This allows the elephant to pick up and hold onto objects, as well as to drink and grab food.

Another example is the tongue of a chameleon. The chameleon's tongue is also a muscular hydrostat, allowing it to shoot out quickly to catch prey.

Overall, a muscular hydrostat is a specialized type of muscle structure that can be found in certain animals, and it allows them to move and manipulate objects without the use of bones.