Repository logo
 

Extreme suction attachment performance from specialised insects living in mountain streams (Diptera: Blephariceridae).

cam.issuedOnline2021-11-03
dc.contributor.authorKang, Victor
dc.contributor.authorWhite, Robin T
dc.contributor.authorChen, Simon
dc.contributor.authorFederle, Walter
dc.contributor.orcidKang, Victor [0000-0003-0959-1364]
dc.contributor.orcidWhite, Robin T [0000-0002-0030-2872]
dc.contributor.orcidChen, Simon [0000-0002-6316-7567]
dc.contributor.orcidFederle, Walter [0000-0002-6375-3005]
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-06T12:56:51Z
dc.date.available2022-01-06T12:56:51Z
dc.date.issued2021-11-03
dc.date.updated2022-01-06T12:56:51Z
dc.description.abstractSuction is widely used by animals for strong controllable underwater adhesion but is less well understood than adhesion of terrestrial climbing animals. Here we investigate the attachment of aquatic insect larvae (Blephariceridae), which cling to rocks in torrential streams using the only known muscle-actuated suction organs in insects. We measured their attachment forces on well-defined rough substrates and found that their adhesion was less reduced by micro-roughness than that of terrestrial climbing insects. In vivo visualisation of the suction organs in contact with microstructured substrates revealed that they can mould around large asperities to form a seal. We have shown that the ventral surface of the suction disc is covered by dense arrays of microtrichia, which are stiff spine-like cuticular structures that only make tip contact. Our results demonstrate the impressive performance and versatility of blepharicerid suction organs and highlight their potential as a study system to explore biological suction mechanisms.
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.79673
dc.identifier.eissn2050-084X
dc.identifier.issn2050-084X
dc.identifier.otherPMC8565926
dc.identifier.other34731079
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/332227
dc.languageeng
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publishereLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
dc.publisher.urlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.63250
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.sourceessn: 2050-084X
dc.sourcenlmid: 101579614
dc.subjectadhesion
dc.subjectaquatic invertebrate
dc.subjectbiomechanics
dc.subjectecology
dc.subjectphysics of living systems
dc.subjectsurface roughness
dc.subjectunderwater adhesion
dc.subjectAdhesiveness
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectAquatic Organisms
dc.subjectBiomechanical Phenomena
dc.subjectLarva
dc.subjectNematocera
dc.subjectRivers
dc.titleExtreme suction attachment performance from specialised insects living in mountain streams (Diptera: Blephariceridae).
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2021-09-24
prism.publicationNameElife
prism.volume10
pubs.funder-project-idEuropean Commission Horizon 2020 (H2020) Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions (642861)
rioxxterms.licenseref.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rioxxterms.versionVoR
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.7554/eLife.63250

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
article.pdf
Size:
8.39 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Published version
Licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/