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Salerno G, Rebora M, Piersanti S, Gorb E, Gorb S. Parasitoid attachment ability and the host surface wettability. ZOOLOGY 2024; 165:126181. [PMID: 38833995 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2024.126181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Climbing animals such as geckos and arthropods developed astonishing adhesive mechanisms which are fundamental for their survival and represent valuable models for biomimetic purposes. A firm adhesion to the host surface, in order to successfully lay eggs is necessary for the reproduction of most parasitoid insects. In the present study, we performed a comparative investigation on the attachment ability of four parasitoid species (the egg parasitoid Anastatus bifasciatus (Eupelmidae), the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Braconidae), the fly pupal ectoparasitoid Muscidifurax raptorellus (Pteromalidae) and the pupal parasitoid of Drosophila Trichopria drosophilae (Diapriidae)) with hosts characterized by a surface having different wettability properties. The friction force measurements were performed on smooth artificial (glass) surfaces showing different contact angles of water. We found that attachment systems of parasitoid insects are tuned to match the wettability of the host surface. Sexual dimorphism in the attachment ability of some tested species has been also observed. The obtained results are probably related to different microstructure and chemical composition of the host surfaces and to different chemical composition of the parasitoid adhesive fluid. The data here presented can be interpreted as an adaptation, especially in the female, to the physicochemical properties of the host surface and contribute to shed light on the coevolutionary processes of parasitoid insects and their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianandrea Salerno
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Manuela Rebora
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia 06121, Italy.
| | - Silvana Piersanti
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Elena Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel 24098, Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel 24098, Germany
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Thomas J, Gorb SN, Büscher TH. Comparative analysis of the ultrastructure and adhesive secretion pathways of different smooth attachment pads of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea). BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 15:612-630. [PMID: 38887530 PMCID: PMC11181264 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.15.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The mechanism by which insects achieve attachment and locomotion across diverse substrates has long intrigued scientists, prompting extensive research on the functional morphology of attachment pads. In stick insects, attachment and locomotion are facilitated by two distinct types of smooth cuticular attachment pads: the primary adhesion force-generating arolium and the friction force-generating euplantulae. They are both supported by an adhesive secretion delivered into the interspace between the attachment pads and the substrate. In this study, we analysed and compared internal morphology, material composition and ultrastructure, as well as the transportation pathways in both adhesive organs in the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata using scanning electron microscopy, micro-computed tomography, light microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Our observations revealed structural differences between both attachment pads, reflecting their distinct functionality. Furthermore, our results delineate a potential pathway for adhesive secretions, originating from exocrine epidermal cells and traversing various layers before reaching the surface. Within the attachment pad, the fluid may influence the viscoelastic properties of the pad and control the attachment/detachment process. Understanding the material composition of attachment pads and the distribution process of the adhesive secretion can potentially aid in the development of more effective artificial attachment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Thomas
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Thies H Büscher
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Song Y, Wang H, Dai Z, Ji A, Wu H, Gorb SN. Multiple forces facilitate the aquatic acrobatics of grasshopper and bioinspired robot. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313305121. [PMID: 38527195 PMCID: PMC10998625 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313305121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquatic locomotion is challenging for land-dwelling creatures because of the high degree of fluidity with which the water yields to loads. We surprisingly found that the Chinese rice grasshopper Oxya chinensis, known for its terrestrial acrobatics, could swiftly launch itself off the water's surface in around 25 ms and seamlessly transition into flight. Biological observations showed that jumping grasshoppers use their front and middle legs to tilt up bodies first and then lift off by propelling the water toward the lower back with hind legs at angular speeds of up to 18°/ms, whereas the swimming grasshoppers swing their front and middle legs in nearly horizontal planes and move hind legs less violently (~8°/ms). Force measurement and model analysis indicated that the weight support could be achieved by hydrostatics which are proportionate to the mass of the grasshoppers, while the propulsions for motion are derived from the controlled limb-water interactions (i.e., the hydrodynamics). After learning the structural and behavioral strategies of the grasshoppers, a robot was created and was capable of swimming and jumping on the water surface like the insects, further demonstrating the effectiveness of decoupling the challenges of aquatic locomotion by the combined use of the static and dynamic hydro forces. This work not only uncovered the combined mechanisms responsible for facilitating aquatic acrobatics in this species but also laid a foundation for developing bioinspired robots that can locomote across multiple media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Song
- Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Modern Design, College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou310014, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Institute of Bioinspired Structure and Surface Engineering, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing210016, China
| | - Zhendong Dai
- Institute of Bioinspired Structure and Surface Engineering, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing210016, China
| | - Aihong Ji
- Institute of Bioinspired Structure and Surface Engineering, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing210016, China
| | - Huaping Wu
- Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Modern Design, College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou310014, China
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, KielD-24118, Germany
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Salerno G, Rebora M, Gorb E, Gorb S. Mechanoecology: biomechanical aspects of insect-plant interactions. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:249-265. [PMID: 38480551 PMCID: PMC10994878 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-024-01698-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Plants and herbivorous insects as well as their natural enemies, such as predatory and parasitoid insects, are united by intricate relationships. During the long period of co-evolution with insects, plants developed a wide diversity of features to defence against herbivores and to attract pollinators and herbivores' natural enemies. The chemical basis of insect-plant interactions is established and many examples are studied, where feeding and oviposition site selection of phytophagous insects are dependent on the plant's secondary chemistry. However, often overlooked mechanical interactions between insects and plants can be rather crucial. In the context of mechanoecology, the evolution of plant surfaces and insect adhesive pads is an interesting example of competition between insect attachment systems and plant anti-attachment surfaces. The present review is focused on mechanical insect-plant interactions of some important pest species, such as the polyphagous Southern Green Stinkbug Nezara viridula and two frugivorous pest species, the polyphagous Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata and the monophagous olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae. Their ability to attach to plant surfaces characterised by different features such as waxes and trichomes is discussed. Some attention is paid also to Coccinellidae, whose interaction with plant leaf surfaces is substantial across all developmental stages in both phytophagous and predatory species that feed on herbivorous insects. Finally, the role of different kinds of anti-adhesive nanomaterials is discussed. They can reduce the attachment ability of insect pests to natural and artificial surfaces, potentially representing environmental friendly alternative methods to reduce insect pest impact in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianandrea Salerno
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Manuela Rebora
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, Perugia, 06121, Italy.
| | - Elena Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24098, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24098, Kiel, Germany
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Thomas J, Gorb SN, Büscher TH. Characterization of Morphologically Distinct Components in the Tarsal Secretion of Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea) Using Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:439. [PMID: 37754190 PMCID: PMC10526352 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8050439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Attachment to the substrate is an important phenomenon that determines the survival of many organisms. Most insects utilize wet adhesion to support attachment, which is characterized by fluids that are secreted into the interface between the tarsus and the substrates. Previous research has investigated the composition and function of tarsal secretions of different insect groups, showing that the secretions are likely viscous emulsions that contribute to attachment by generating capillary and viscous adhesion, leveling surface roughness and providing self-cleaning of the adhesive systems. Details of the structural organization of these secretions are, however, largely unknown. Here, we analyzed footprints originating from the arolium and euplantulae of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata using cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) and white light interferometry (WLI). The secretion was investigated with cryo-SEM, revealing four morphologically distinguishable components. The 3D WLI measurements of the droplet shapes and volumes over time revealed distinctly different evaporation rates for different types of droplets. Our results indicate that the subfunctionalization of the tarsal secretion is facilitated by morphologically distinct components, which are likely a result of different proportions of components within the emulsion. Understanding these components and their functions may aid in gaining insights for developing adaptive and multifunctional biomimetic adhesive systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Thomas
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany; (S.N.G.); (T.H.B.)
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Thomas J, Gorb SN, Büscher TH. Influence of surface free energy of the substrate and flooded water on the attachment performance of stick insects (Phasmatodea) with different adhesive surface microstructures. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286279. [PMID: 36606728 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) are exclusively herbivores. As they settle in a broad range of habitats, they need to attach to and walk on a wide variety of plant substrates, which can vary in their surface free energy (SFE). The adhesive microstructures (AMs) on the euplantulae of phasmids are assumed to be adapted to such substrate properties. Moreover, the natural substrates can often be covered with water as a result of high relative humidity or rain. Although considerable experimental research has been carried out on different aspects of stick insect attachment, the adaptations to cope with the influence of flooded water on attachment performance remain unclear. To elucidate the role of AMs in this context, we here measured attachment forces in three species of stick insects with different AMs. The results show that attachment forces of the three species studied were influenced by the SFE and the presence of water: they all showed higher pull-off (vertical) and traction (horizontal) forces on dry surfaces, compared with when the surfaces were covered with a water film. However, the extent to which the surface properties influenced attachment differed depending on the species and its AMs. All three species showed approximately the same attachment performance on dry surfaces with different surface free energy but maintained attachment underwater to different extents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Thomas
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Thies H Büscher
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Bergmann JB, Moatsou D, Steiner U, Wilts BD. Bio-inspired materials to control and minimise insect attachment. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2022; 17:051001. [PMID: 36099911 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac91b9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
More than three quarters of all animal species on Earth are insects, successfully inhabiting most ecosystems on the planet. Due to their opulence, insects provide the backbone of many biological processes, but also inflict adverse impacts on agricultural and stored products, buildings and human health. To countermeasure insect pests, the interactions of these animals with their surroundings have to be fully understood. This review focuses on the various forms of insect attachment, natural surfaces that have evolved to counter insect adhesion, and particularly features recently developed synthetic bio-inspired solutions. These bio-inspired solutions often enhance the variety of applicable mechanisms observed in nature and open paths for improved technological solutions that are needed in a changing global society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes B Bergmann
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Dafni Moatsou
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Ullrich Steiner
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bodo D Wilts
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
- Chemistry and Physics of Materials, University of Salzburg, Jakob-Haringer-Str. 2a, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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van den Boogaart LM, Langowski JKA, Amador GJ. Studying Stickiness: Methods, Trade-Offs, and Perspectives in Measuring Reversible Biological Adhesion and Friction. Biomimetics (Basel) 2022; 7:biomimetics7030134. [PMID: 36134938 PMCID: PMC9496521 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics7030134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlled, reversible attachment is widely spread throughout the animal kingdom: from ticks to tree frogs, whose weights span from 2 mg to 200 g, and from geckos to mosquitoes, who stick under vastly different situations, such as quickly climbing trees and stealthily landing on human hosts. A fascinating and complex interplay of adhesive and frictional forces forms the foundation of attachment of these highly diverse systems to various substrates. In this review, we present an overview of the techniques used to quantify the adhesion and friction of terrestrial animals, with the aim of informing future studies on the fundamentals of bioadhesion, and motivating the development and adoption of new or alternative measurement techniques. We classify existing methods with respect to the forces they measure, including magnitude and source, i.e., generated by the whole body, single limbs, or by sub-structures. Additionally, we compare their versatility, specifically what parameters can be measured, controlled, and varied. This approach reveals critical trade-offs of bioadhesion measurement techniques. Beyond stimulating future studies on evolutionary and physicochemical aspects of bioadhesion, understanding the fundamentals of biological attachment is key to the development of biomimetic technologies, from soft robotic grippers to gentle surgical tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc M. van den Boogaart
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Julian K. A. Langowski
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (J.K.A.L.); (G.J.A.)
| | - Guillermo J. Amador
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (J.K.A.L.); (G.J.A.)
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Ganina MD, Tyurin MV, Zhumatayeva UT, Lednev GR, Morozov SV, Kryukov VY. Comparative Analysis of Epicuticular Lipids in Locusta migratoria and Calliptamus italicus: A Possible Role in Susceptibility to Entomopathogenic Fungi. INSECTS 2022; 13:736. [PMID: 36005361 PMCID: PMC9409248 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular lipids protect insects from desiccation and may determine resistance to fungal pathogens. Nonetheless, the trade-off between these lipid functions is still poorly understood. The migratory locust Locusta migratoria and the Italian locust Calliptamus italicus have dissimilar hygrothermal preferences: L. migratoria inhabits areas near water bodies with a reed bed, and C. italicus exploits a wide range of habitats and prefers steppes and semideserts with the predominance of sagebrushes. This paper presents significant differences between these species' nymphs in epicuticular lipid composition (according to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry) and in susceptibility to Metarhizium robertsii and Beauveria bassiana. The main differences in lipid composition are shifts to longer chain and branched hydrocarbons (di- and trimethylalkanes) in C. italicus compared to L. migratoria. C. italicus also has a slightly higher n-alkane content. Fatty acids showed low concentrations in the extracts, and L. migratoria has a wider range of fatty acids than C. italicus does. Susceptibility to M. robertsii and the number of conidia adhering to the cuticle proved to be significantly higher in C. italicus, although conidia germination percentages on epicuticular extracts did not differ between the species. We propose that the hydrocarbon composition of C. italicus may be an adaptation to a wide range of habitats including arid ones but may make the C. italicus cuticle more hospitable for fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya D. Ganina
- N.N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Lavrentyev Ave. 9, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Maksim V. Tyurin
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Frunze Str. 11, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ulzhalgas T. Zhumatayeva
- Department of Plant Protection and Quarantine, Faculty of Agrabiology, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Abai Avenue 8, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
| | - Georgy R. Lednev
- All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Podbelskogo Avenue 3, St. Petersburg, 196608 Pushkin, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Morozov
- N.N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Lavrentyev Ave. 9, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vadim Yu. Kryukov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Frunze Str. 11, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia
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Rasmussen MH, Holler KR, Baio JE, Jaye C, Fischer DA, Gorb SN, Weidner T. Evidence that gecko setae are coated with an ordered nanometre-thin lipid film. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220093. [PMID: 35857888 PMCID: PMC9256082 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The fascinating adhesion of gecko to virtually any material has been related to surface interactions of myriads of spatula at the tips of gecko feet. Surprisingly, the molecular details of the surface chemistry of gecko adhesion are still largely unknown. Lipids have been identified within gecko adhesive pads. However, the location of the lipids, the extent to which spatula are coated with lipids, and how the lipids are structured are still open questions. Lipids can modulate adhesion properties and surface hydrophobicity and may play an important role in adhesion. We have therefore studied the molecular structure of lipids at spatula surfaces using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure imaging. We provide evidence that a nanometre-thin layer of lipids is present at the spatula surfaces of the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) and that the lipids form ordered, densely packed layers. Such dense, thin lipid layers can effectively protect the spatula proteins from dehydration by forming a barrier against water evaporation. Lipids can also render surfaces hydrophobic and thereby support the gecko adhesive system by enhancement of hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions with surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joe E. Baio
- The School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Cherno Jaye
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Daniel A. Fischer
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Tobias Weidner
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Kaimaki DM, Andrew CNS, Attipoe AEL, Labonte D. The physical properties of the stick insect pad secretion are independent of body size. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220212. [PMID: 35730174 PMCID: PMC9214289 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many insects use adhesive organs to climb. The ability to cling to surfaces is advantageous but is increasingly challenged as animals grow, due to the associated reduction in surface-to-volume ratio. Previous work has demonstrated that some climbing animals overcome this scaling problem by systematically altering the maximum force per area that their adhesive pads can sustain; their adhesive organs become more efficient as they grow, an observation which is also of substantial relevance for the design of bioinspired adhesives. What is the origin of this change in efficiency? In insects, adhesive contact is mediated by a thin film of a liquid, thought to increase adhesive performance via capillary and viscous forces. Here, we use interference reflection microscopy and dewetting experiments to measure the contact angle and dewetting speed of the secretion of pre-tarsal adhesive pads of Indian stick insects, varying in mass by over two orders of magnitude. Neither contact angle nor dewetting speed change significantly with body mass, suggesting that the key physical properties of the pad secretion-its surface tension and viscosity-are size-invariant. Thus, the observed change in pad efficiency is unlikely to arise from systematic changes of the physical properties of the pad secretion; the functional role of the secretion remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David Labonte
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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Awater-Salendo S, Voigt D, Hilker M, Fürstenau B. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Trails Released by Host Larvae Lose their Kairomonal Activity for Parasitoids by Solidification. J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:998-1013. [PMID: 34529198 PMCID: PMC8642257 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01310-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Successful host search by parasitic wasps is often mediated by host-associated chemical cues. The ectoparasitoid Holepyris sylvanidis is known to follow chemical trails released by host larvae of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum, for short-range host location. Although the hexane-extractable trails consist of stable, long-chain cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) with low volatility, the kairomonal activity of a trail is lost two days after release. Here, we studied whether this loss of kairomonal activity is due to changes in the chemical trail composition induced by microbial activity. We chemically analyzed trails consisting of hexane extracts of T. confusum larvae after different time intervals past deposition under sterile and non-sterile conditions. GC-MS analyses revealed that the qualitative and quantitative pattern of the long-chain CHCs of larval trails did not significantly change over time, neither under non-sterile nor sterile conditions. Hence, our results show that the loss of kairomonal activity of host trails is not due to microbially induced changes of the CHC pattern of a trail. Interestingly, the kairomonal activity of trails consisting of host larval CHC extracts was recoverable after two days by applying hexane to them. After hexane evaporation, the parasitoids followed the reactivated host trails as they followed freshly laid ones. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy showed that the trails gradually formed filament-shaped microstructures within two days. This self-assemblage of CHCs was reversible by hexane application. Our study suggests that the long-chain CHCs of a host trail slowly undergo solidification by a self-assembling process, which reduces the accessibility of CHCs to the parasitoid’s receptors as such that the trail is no longer eliciting trail-following behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Awater-Salendo
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Julius Kühn Institute, Königin-Luise-Str.19, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Dahlem Centre of Plant Science, Institute of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Haderslebener Str.9, 12163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Voigt
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 20b, 01217, Dresden, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science, Institute of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Haderslebener Str.9, 12163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Fürstenau
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Julius Kühn Institute, Königin-Luise-Str.19, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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Wang J, Wan Y, Wang X, Xia Z. Bioinspired Smart Materials With Externally-Stimulated Switchable Adhesion. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2021.667287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms have evolved, over billions of years, to develop specialized biostructures with switchable adhesion for various purposes including climbing, perching, preying, sensing, and protecting. According to adhesion mechanisms, switchable adhesives can be divided into four categories: mechanically-based adhesion, liquid-mediated adhesion, physically-actuated adhesion and chemically-enhanced adhesion. Mimicking these biostructures could create smart materials with switchable adhesion, appealing for many engineering applications in robotics, sensors, advanced drug-delivery, protein separation, etc. Progress has been made in developing bioinspired materials with switchable adhesion modulated by external stimuli such as electrical signal, magnetic field, light, temperature, pH value, etc. This review will be focused on new advance in biomimetic design and synthesis of the materials and devices with switchable adhesion. The underlying mechanisms, design principles, and future directions are discussed for the development of high-performance smart surfaces with switchable adhesion.
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Büscher TH, Gorb SN. Physical constraints lead to parallel evolution of micro- and nanostructures of animal adhesive pads: a review. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 12:725-743. [PMID: 34354900 PMCID: PMC8290099 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.12.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Adhesive pads are functional systems with specific micro- and nanostructures which evolved as a response to specific environmental conditions and therefore exhibit convergent traits. The functional constraints that shape systems for the attachment to a surface are general requirements. Different strategies to solve similar problems often follow similar physical principles, hence, the morphology of attachment devices is affected by physical constraints. This resulted in two main types of attachment devices in animals: hairy and smooth. They differ in morphology and ultrastructure but achieve mechanical adaptation to substrates with different roughness and maximise the actual contact area with them. Species-specific environmental surface conditions resulted in different solutions for the specific ecological surroundings of different animals. As the conditions are similar in discrete environments unrelated to the group of animals, the micro- and nanostructural adaptations of the attachment systems of different animal groups reveal similar mechanisms. Consequently, similar attachment organs evolved in a convergent manner and different attachment solutions can occur within closely related lineages. In this review, we present a summary of the literature on structural and functional principles of attachment pads with a special focus on insects, describe micro- and nanostructures, surface patterns, origin of different pads and their evolution, discuss the material properties (elasticity, viscoelasticity, adhesion, friction) and basic physical forces contributing to adhesion, show the influence of different factors, such as substrate roughness and pad stiffness, on contact forces, and review the chemical composition of pad fluids, which is an important component of an adhesive function. Attachment systems are omnipresent in animals. We show parallel evolution of attachment structures on micro- and nanoscales at different phylogenetic levels, focus on insects as the largest animal group on earth, and subsequently zoom into the attachment pads of the stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) to explore convergent evolution of attachment pads at even smaller scales. Since convergent events might be potentially interesting for engineers as a kind of optimal solution by nature, the biomimetic implications of the discussed results are briefly presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thies H Büscher
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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15
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Surface chemistry of the ladybird beetle adhesive foot fluid across various substrates. Biointerphases 2021; 16:031004. [PMID: 34241230 DOI: 10.1116/6.0001006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature has coevolved highly adaptive and reliable bioadhesives across a multitude of animal species. Much attention has been paid in recent years to selectively mimic these adhesives for the improvement of a variety of technologies. However, very few of the chemical mechanisms that drive these natural adhesives are well understood. Many insects combine hairy feet with a secreted adhesive fluid, allowing for adhesion to considerably rough and slippery surfaces. Insect adhesive fluids have evolved highly specific compositions which are consistent across most surfaces and optimize both foot adhesion and release in natural environments. For example, beetles are thought to have adhesive fluids made up of a complex molecular mixture containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts. We hypothesize that this causes the adhesive interface to be dynamic, with molecules in the fluid selectively organizing and ordering at surfaces with complimentary hydrophobicity to maximize adhesion. In this study, we examine the adhesive fluid of a seven-spotted ladybird beetle with a surface-sensitive analytical technique, sum frequency generation spectroscopy, as the fluid interacts with three substrates of varied wettabilities. The resulting spectra present no evidence of unique molecular environments between hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces but exhibit significant differences in the ordering of hydrocarbons. This change in surface interactions across different substrates correlates well with traction forces measured from beetles interacting with substrates of increasing hydrophobicities. We conclude that insect adhesion is dependent upon a dynamic molecular-interfacial response to an environmental surface.
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Abstract
AbstractThe present ultrastructural investigation using scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as light and fluorescence microscopy describes in detail the attachment devices and tarsal gland of the bug Coreus marginatus (L.) (Hemiptera: Coreidae). In particular, the fine structure of pulvilli reveals a ventral surface rich with pore channels, consistent with fluid emission, and a folded dorsal surface, which could be useful to enhance the pulvillus contact area during attachment to the substrate. The detailed description of the tarsal gland cells, whose structure is coherent with an active secretory function, allows us to consider the tarsal gland as the plausible candidate for the adhesive fluid production. Scolopidia strictly adhering to the gland cells are also described. On the basis of the fine structure of the tarsal gland, we hypothesise a fluid emission mechanism based on changes of the hydraulic pressure inside the gland, due to the unguitractor tendon movements. This mechanism could provide the fluid release based on compression of the pad and capillary suction, as demonstrated in other insects. The data here reported can contribute to understanding of insect adhesive fluid production, emission and control of its transport.
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Schmüser L, Zhang W, Marx MT, Encinas N, Vollmer D, Gorb S, Baio JE, Räder HJ, Weidner T. Role of Surface Chemistry in the Superhydrophobicity of the Springtail Orchesella cincta (Insecta:Collembola). ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:12294-12304. [PMID: 32040287 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b21615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Collembola are ancient arthropods living in soil with extensive exposure to dirt, bacteria, and fungi. To protect from the harsh environmental conditions and to retain a layer of air for breathing when submerged in water, they have evolved a superhydrophobic, liquid-repelling cuticle surface. The nonfouling and self-cleaning properties of springtail cuticle make it an interesting target of biomimetic materials design. Recent research has mainly focused on the intricate microstructures at the cuticle surface. Here we study the role of the cuticle chemistry for the Collembola species Orchesella cincta (Collembola, Entomobryidae). O. cincta uses a relatively simple cuticle structure with primary granules arranged to function as plastrons. In contrast to the Collembolan cuticle featuring structures on multiple length scales that is functional irrespective of surface chemistry, we found that the O. cincta cuticle loses its hydrophobic properties after being rinsed with dichloromethane. Sum frequency generation spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry show that a nanometer thin triacylglycerol-containing wax layer at the cuticle surface is essential for maintaining the antiwetting properties. Removal of the wax layer exposes chitin, terpenes, and lipid layers in the cuticle. With respect to biomimetic applications, the results show that, combined with a carefully chosen surface chemistry, superhydrophobicity may be achieved using a relatively unsophisticated surface structure rather than a complex, re-entrant surface structure alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Schmüser
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Wen Zhang
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Thomas Marx
- Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Noemi Encinas
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Doris Vollmer
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of Zoology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Joe E Baio
- The School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | | | - Tobias Weidner
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Xie Y, Li J, Bu D, Xie X, He X, Wang L, Zhou Z. Nepenthes-inspired multifunctional nanoblades with mechanical bactericidal, self-cleaning and insect anti-adhesive characteristics. RSC Adv 2019; 9:27904-27910. [PMID: 35530501 PMCID: PMC9071107 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra05198h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to reduce the widespread threat of bacterial pathogen diseases, mechanical bactericidal surfaces have been widely reported. However, few of these nanostructured surfaces were investigated from a sustainable perspective. In this study, we have prepared, inspired by the slippery zone of Nepenthes, a multifunctional nanostructured surface with mechanical bactericidal, self-cleaning and insect anti-adhesive characteristics. First, a nanoblade-like surface made of Zn-Al layered double hydroxides was prepared for achieving faster bactericidal rate and wider bactericidal spectrum (2.10 × 104 CFU cm-2 min-1 against Escherichia coli and 1.78 × 103 CFU cm-2 min-1 against Staphylococcus aureus). Then the self-cleaning and insect anti-adhesive properties were tested on the fluorosilane-modified nanoblades, leaving little cell debris remaining on the surface even after 4 continuous bactericidal experiments, and showing a slippery surface for ants to slide down in 3 s. This study not only discovers a new nature-inspired mechanical bactericidal nanotopography, but also provides a facile approach to incorporate multiple functions into the nanostructured surface for practical antibacterial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xie
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China
| | - Jinyang Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China
| | - Daqin Bu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China
| | - Xuedong Xie
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China
| | - Xiaolong He
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101 China
| | - Li Wang
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology Beijing 100094 China
| | - Zuowan Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China
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Baik S, Lee HJ, Kim DW, Kim JW, Lee Y, Pang C. Bioinspired Adhesive Architectures: From Skin Patch to Integrated Bioelectronics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1803309. [PMID: 30773697 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201803309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The attachment phenomena of various hierarchical architectures found in nature have extensively drawn attention for developing highly biocompatible adhesive on skin or wet inner organs without any chemical glue. Structural adhesive systems have become important to address the issues of human-machine interactions by smart outer/inner organ-attachable devices for diagnosis and therapy. Here, advances in designs of biologically inspired adhesive architectures are reviewed in terms of distinct structural properties, attachment mechanisms to biosurfaces by physical interactions, and noteworthy fabrication methods. Recent demonstrations of bioinspired adhesive architectures as adhesive layers for medical applications from skin patches to multifunctional bioelectronics are presented. To conclude, current challenges and prospects on potential applications are also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangyul Baik
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Heon Joon Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Wan Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Won Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngkwan Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Changhyun Pang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
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20
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Wu P, Ma B, Ouyang H, Xu J, Zhang R. Potential investment tradeoff between offspring production and functional recovery promoted by larval cannibalism in Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: coccinellidae). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:484-491. [PMID: 30022594 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since larval cannibalism is frequently observed in intensive rearing systems, the regeneration of lost legs is common for the beneficial species Coccinella septempunctata (Coccinella: Coccinellidae) to adapt to the competitive environment, but whether functional recovery occurs in the leg-regenerated coccinellids remains unknown. To evaluate the functional recovery of regenerated right foreleg after being damaged, the behaviors of leg-regenerated ladybugs containing predation, attachment, intraspecific competition, prey preference and fecundity were studied in the laboratory. RESULTS The prey consumption and searching rate of leg-regenerated ladybugs decreased, and their handling time extended. A significantly reduced attachment coefficient was detected in leg-regenerated coccinellids. Because of the competitive inferiority, leg-regenerated ladybugs were greatly hampered in competition with normal opponents, and this inferiority led to a switch of prey preference from big-sized adults to small-sized first-second instar nymphs of Paratrioza sinica. However, although reduced functional abilities were examined, the leg-regenerated paternity had a higher reproductive output compared to the normal paternity. CONCLUSION Leg-regenerated ladybugs caused by cannibalism may make an investment tradeoff between egg fecundity and functional recovery. Thus, larval cannibalism potentially improves the offspring production of the biological control agent in complex environments. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyong Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Runzhi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Schnee L, Sampalla B, Müller JK, Betz O. A comparison of tarsal morphology and traction force in the two burying beetles Nicrophorus nepalensis and Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera, Silphidae). BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 10:47-61. [PMID: 30680278 PMCID: PMC6334798 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.10.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Our aim was to compare friction and traction forces between two burying beetle species of the genus Nicrophorus exhibiting different attachment abilities during climbing. Specifically, the interaction of adhesive hairs and claws during attachment with respect to various surface properties was investigated by using a 2 × 3 experimental design. Traction force was measured for two different surface energies (hydrophilic vs hydrophobic) varying in roughness from smooth to micro-rough to rough. Nanotribometric tests on single legs were also performed. The external morphology of the attachment devices investigated by scanning electron microscopy suggested higher intra-specific (intersexual) than inter-specific differences. Whereas differences between the two species in traction force were high on smooth surfaces, no differences could be detected between males and females within each species. With claws intact, both species showed the highest forces on rough surfaces, although N. nepalensis with clipped claws performed best on a smooth surface. However, N. nepalensis beetles outperformed N. vespilloides, which showed no differences between smooth and rough surfaces with clipped claws. Both species demonstrated poor traction forces on micro-rough surfaces. Results concerning the impact of surface polarity were inconclusive, whereas roughness more strongly affected the attachment performance in both species. Nanotribometric analyses of the fore tarsi performed on micro-rough and rough surfaces revealed higher friction in the proximal (pull) direction compared with the distal (push) direction. In these experiments, we detected neither differences in friction performance between the two species, nor clear trends concerning the influence of surface polarity. We conclude that the investigated morphological traits are not critical for the observed interspecific difference in attachment ability on smooth surfaces. Furthermore, interspecific differences in performance are only clear on smooth surfaces and vanish on micro-rough and rough surfaces. Our results suggest that even subtle differences in the adhesion-mediating secretion in closely related species might result in qualitative performance shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liesa Schnee
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Sampalla
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Josef K Müller
- Institut für Biologie I, Evolutionsbiologie & Ökologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hauptstr.1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Betz
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Woodward MA, Sitti M. Morphological intelligence counters foot slipping in the desert locust and dynamic robots. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E8358-E8367. [PMID: 30135101 PMCID: PMC6130395 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804239115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During dynamic terrestrial locomotion, animals use complex multifunctional feet to extract friction from the environment. However, whether roboticists assume sufficient surface friction for locomotion or actively compensate for slipping, they use relatively simple point-contact feet. We seek to understand and extract the morphological adaptations of animal feet that contribute to enhancing friction on diverse surfaces, such as the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) [Bennet-Clark HC (1975) J Exp Biol 63:53-83], which has both wet adhesive pads and spines. A buckling region in their knee to accommodate slipping [Bayley TG, Sutton GP, Burrows M (2012) J Exp Biol 215:1151-1161], slow nerve conduction velocity (0.5-3 m/s) [Pearson KG, Stein RB, Malhotra SK (1970) J Exp Biol 53:299-316], and an ecological pressure to enhance jumping performance for survival [Hawlena D, Kress H, Dufresne ER, Schmitz OJ (2011) Funct Ecol 25:279-288] further suggest that the locust operates near the limits of its surface friction, but without sufficient time to actively control its feet. Therefore, all surface adaptation must be through passive mechanics (morphological intelligence), which are unknown. Here, we report the slipping behavior, dynamic attachment, passive mechanics, and interplay between the spines and adhesive pads, studied through both biological and robotic experiments, which contribute to the locust's ability to jump robustly from diverse surfaces. We found slipping to be surface-dependent and common (e.g., wood 1.32 ± 1.19 slips per jump), yet the morphological intelligence of the feet produces a significant chance to reengage the surface (e.g., wood 1.10 ± 1.13 reengagements per jump). Additionally, a discovered noncontact-type jump, further studied robotically, broadens the applicability of the morphological adaptations to both static and dynamic attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Woodward
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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23
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Voigt D, Gorb S. Functional morphology of tarsal adhesive pads and attachment ability in ticks Ixodes ricinus (Arachnida, Acari, Ixodidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:1984-1996. [PMID: 28566356 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.152942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The presence of well-developed, elastic claws on ticks and widely pilose hosts led us to hypothesise that ticks are mostly adapted to attachment and locomotion on rough, strongly corrugated and hairy, felt-like substrates. However, by using a combination of morphological and experimental approaches, we visualised the ultrastructure of attachment devices of Ixodes ricinus and showed that this species adheres more strongly to smooth surfaces than to rough ones. Between paired, elongated, curved, elastic claws, I. ricinus bears a large, flexible, foldable adhesive pad, which represents an adaptation to adhesion on smooth surfaces. Accordingly, ticks attached strongest to glass and to surface profiles similar to those of the human skin, generating safety factors (attachment force relative to body weight) up to 534 (females). Considerably lower attachment force was found on silicone substrates and as a result of thanatosis after jolting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Voigt
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, Kiel D-24098, Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, Kiel D-24098, Germany
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Schroeder TBH, Houghtaling J, Wilts BD, Mayer M. It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature: Functional Materials in Insects. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1705322. [PMID: 29517829 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201705322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the course of their wildly successful proliferation across the earth, the insects as a taxon have evolved enviable adaptations to their diverse habitats, which include adhesives, locomotor systems, hydrophobic surfaces, and sensors and actuators that transduce mechanical, acoustic, optical, thermal, and chemical signals. Insect-inspired designs currently appear in a range of contexts, including antireflective coatings, optical displays, and computing algorithms. However, as over one million distinct and highly specialized species of insects have colonized nearly all habitable regions on the planet, they still provide a largely untapped pool of unique problem-solving strategies. With the intent of providing materials scientists and engineers with a muse for the next generation of bioinspired materials, here, a selection of some of the most spectacular adaptations that insects have evolved is assembled and organized by function. The insects presented display dazzling optical properties as a result of natural photonic crystals, precise hierarchical patterns that span length scales from nanometers to millimeters, and formidable defense mechanisms that deploy an arsenal of chemical weaponry. Successful mimicry of these adaptations may facilitate technological solutions to as wide a range of problems as they solve in the insects that originated them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B H Schroeder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2300 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jared Houghtaling
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Bodo D Wilts
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Rebora M, Michels J, Salerno G, Heepe L, Gorb E, Gorb S. Tarsal attachment devices of the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula
(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). J Morphol 2018; 279:660-672. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Rebora
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie; University of Perugia; Perugia 06121 Italy
| | - Jan Michels
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics; Zoological Institute, Kiel University; 24118 Kiel Germany
| | - Gianandrea Salerno
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali; University of Perugia; Perugia Italy
| | - Lars Heepe
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics; Zoological Institute, Kiel University; 24118 Kiel Germany
| | - Elena Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics; Zoological Institute, Kiel University; 24118 Kiel Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics; Zoological Institute, Kiel University; 24118 Kiel Germany
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26
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Stark AY, Arstingstall K, Yanoviak SP. Adhesive performance of tropical arboreal ants varies with substrate temperature. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.171843. [PMID: 29146768 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.171843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The surface temperature of tree branches in the tropical rainforest canopy can reach up to 55°C. Ants and other small cursorial organisms must maintain adequate attachment in this extreme microenvironment to forage effectively and avoid falling. Ant adhesion depends on liquid secretions that should become less viscous at high temperatures, causing ants to slip. However, tropical arboreal ants have high thermal tolerance and actively forage on hot canopy surfaces, suggesting that these ants can maintain adhesion on hot substrates. We measured tarsal pad shear adhesion of 580 workers (representing 11 species and four subfamilies) of tropical arboreal ants at temperatures spanning the range observed in the field (23-55°C). Adhesive performance among species showed three general trends: (1) a linear decrease with increasing temperature, (2) a non-linear relationship with peak adhesive performance at ca. 30-40°C, and (3) no relationship with temperature. The mechanism responsible for these large interspecific differences remains to be determined, but likely reflects variation in the composition of the secreted adhesive fluid. Understanding such differences will reveal the diverse ways that ants cope with highly variable, and often unpredictable, thermal conditions in the forest canopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Y Stark
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, 139 Life Sciences Building, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Katherine Arstingstall
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, 139 Life Sciences Building, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Stephen P Yanoviak
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, 139 Life Sciences Building, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
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Gorb EV, Gorb SN. Anti-adhesive effects of plant wax coverage on insect attachment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2017; 68:5323-5337. [PMID: 28992238 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The long period of reciprocal antagonistic coevolution between some insect and plant species has led to the development of plant surface attributes that reduce insect attachment. These features serve as a defence against herbivores, sap-sucking insects and nectar robbers, contribute to a temporary capture of insect pollinators, and prevent the escape of insects from traps of carnivorous plants. This review summarises the literature on attachment-mediated insect-plant interactions. A short introduction to attachment systems of insects is presented and the effect of three-dimensional epicuticular waxes on insect attachment is illustrated by many examples. Special attention is given to the mechanisms of the anti-attachment properties of plant wax structures (the roughness hypothesis, the contamination hypothesis, the fluid-adsorption hypothesis, and the wax-dissolving hypothesis) and their ecological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V Gorb
- Kiel University, Zoological Institute, Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Kiel University, Zoological Institute, Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
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Voigt D, Tsipenyuk A, Varenberg M. How tight are beetle hugs? Attachment in mating leaf beetles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:171108. [PMID: 28989792 PMCID: PMC5627132 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Similar to other leaf beetles, rosemary beetles Chrysolina americana exhibit a distinct sexual dimorphism in tarsal attachment setae. Setal discoid terminals occur only in males, and they have been previously associated with a long-term attachment to the female's back (elytra) during copulation and mate guarding. For the first time, we studied living males and females holding to female's elytra. Pull-off force measurements with a custom-made tribometer featuring a self-aligning sample holder confirmed stronger attachment to female elytra compared with glass in both males and females; corresponding to 45 and 30 times the body weight, respectively. In line with previous studies, males generated significantly higher forces than females on convex elytra and flat glass, 1.2 times and 6.8 times, respectively. Convex substrates like elytra seem to improve the attachment ability of rosemary beetles, because they can hold more strongly due to favourable shear angles of legs, tarsi and adhesive setae. A self-aligning sample holder is found to be suitable for running force measurement tests with living biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Voigt
- Institute for Botany, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Author for correspondence: Dagmar Voigt e-mail:
| | - Alexey Tsipenyuk
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Michael Varenberg
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Schmitt C, Betz O. Morphology and ultrastructure of the tarsal adhesive organs of the Madagascar hissing cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 370:243-265. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2661-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Gorb EV, Hofmann P, Filippov AE, Gorb SN. Oil adsorption ability of three-dimensional epicuticular wax coverages in plants. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45483. [PMID: 28367985 PMCID: PMC5377368 DOI: 10.1038/srep45483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary aerial surfaces of terrestrial plants are very often covered with three-dimensional epicuticular waxes. Such wax coverages play an important role in insect-plant interactions. Wax blooms have been experimentally shown in numerous previous studies to be impeding locomotion and reducing attachment of insects. Among the mechanisms responsible for these effects, a possible adsorption of insect adhesive fluid by highly porous wax coverage has been proposed (adsorption hypothesis). Recently, a great decrease in insect attachment force on artificial adsorbing materials was revealed in a few studies. However, adsorption ability of plant wax blooms was still not tested. Using a cryo scanning electron microscopy approach and high-speed video recordings of fluid drops behavior, followed by numerical analysis of experimental data, we show here that the three-dimensional epicuticular wax coverage in the waxy zone of Nepenthes alata pitcher adsorbs oil: we detected changes in the base, height, and volume of the oil drops. The wax layer thickness, differing in samples with untreated two-layered wax coverage and treated one-layered wax, did not significantly affect the drop behavior. These results provide strong evidence that three-dimensional plant wax coverages due to their adsorption capability are in general anti-adhesive for insects, which rely on wet adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V. Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel, 24098, Germany
| | - Philipp Hofmann
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel, 24098, Germany
| | - Alexander E. Filippov
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel, 24098, Germany
- Department N5, Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering, R. Luxemburg Str. 72, Donetsk 83112, Ukraine
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel, 24098, Germany
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Speidel MW, Kleemeier M, Hartwig A, Rischka K, Ellermann A, Daniels R, Betz O. Structural and tribometric characterization of biomimetically inspired synthetic "insect adhesives". BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 8:45-63. [PMID: 28144564 PMCID: PMC5238622 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.8.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Background: Based on previous chemical analyses of insect tarsal adhesives, we prepared 12 heterogeneous synthetic emulsions mimicking the polar/non-polar principle, analysed their microscopical structure and tested their adhesive, frictional, and rheological properties. Results: The prepared emulsions varied in their consistency from solid rubber-like, over soft elastic, to fluid (watery or oily). With droplet sizes >100 nm, all the emulsions belonged to the common type of macroemulsions. The emulsions of the first generation generally showed broader droplet-size ranges compared with the second generation, especially when less defined components such as petrolatum or waxes were present in the lipophilic fraction of the first generation of emulsions. Some of the prepared emulsions showed a yield point and were Bingham fluids. Tribometric adhesion was tested via probe tack tests. Compared with the "second generation" (containing less viscous components), the "first generation" emulsions were much more adhesive (31-93 mN), a finding attributable to their highly viscous components, i.e., wax, petrolatum, gelatin and poly(vinyl alcohol). In the second generation emulsions, we attained much lower adhesivenesses, ranging between 1-18 mN. The adhesive performance was drastically reduced in the emulsions that contained albumin as the protein component or that lacked protein. Tribometric shear tests were performed at moderate normal loads. Our measured friction forces (4-93 mN in the first and 0.1-5.8 mN in the second generation emulsions) were comparatively low. Differences in shear performance were related to the chemical composition and emulsion structure. Conclusion: By varying their chemical composition, synthetic heterogeneous adhesive emulsions can be adjusted to have diverse consistencies and are able to mimic certain rheological and tribological properties of natural tarsal insect adhesives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias W Speidel
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Malte Kleemeier
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Wiener Str. 12, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Andreas Hartwig
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Wiener Str. 12, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
- Universität Bremen, Fachbereich 2 Biologie/Chemie, Leobener Str., 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Klaus Rischka
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Wiener Str. 12, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Angelika Ellermann
- Pharmazeutisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, Pharmazeutische Technologie und Biopharmazie, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniels
- Pharmazeutisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, Pharmazeutische Technologie und Biopharmazie, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Betz
- Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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England MW, Sato T, Yagihashi M, Hozumi A, Gorb SN, Gorb EV. Surface roughness rather than surface chemistry essentially affects insect adhesion. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 7:1471-1479. [PMID: 27826522 PMCID: PMC5082711 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.7.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The attachment ability of ladybird beetles Coccinella septempunctata was systematically investigated on eight types of surface, each with different chemical and topographical properties. The results of traction force tests clearly demonstrated that chemical surface properties, such as static/dynamic de-wettability of water and oil caused by specific chemical compositions, had no significant effect on the attachment of the beetles. Surface roughness was found to be the dominant factor, strongly affecting the attachment ability of the beetles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt W England
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2266-98, Anagahora, Shimoshidami, Moriyama, Nagoya 463-8560, Japan
| | - Tomoya Sato
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2266-98, Anagahora, Shimoshidami, Moriyama, Nagoya 463-8560, Japan
| | - Makoto Yagihashi
- Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute, 4-41, Rokuban, Atsuta, Nagoya 456-0058, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hozumi
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2266-98, Anagahora, Shimoshidami, Moriyama, Nagoya 463-8560, Japan
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Zoological Institute: Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D - 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Elena V Gorb
- Zoological Institute: Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D - 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Betz O, Maurer A, Verheyden AN, Schmitt C, Kowalik T, Braun J, Grunwald I, Hartwig A, Neuenfeldt M. First protein and peptide characterization of the tarsal adhesive secretions in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, and the Madagascar hissing cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 25:541-9. [PMID: 27126627 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Peptides and proteins have been largely neglected in the analysis of insect tarsal adhesives. After extraction of the protein fraction of the tarsal secretion of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, and Madagascar hissing cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa, we combined Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analyses for protein mass detection. In both these insects, SDS-PAGE analysis revealed several protein bands ranging from 8-190 kDa in both the tarsal secretion and the tibia control sample. Two (S. gregaria) and one (G. portentosa) protein bands exclusively occurred in the tarsal secretion and can be considered to belong to peptides and proteins specific to this secretion. MALDI-TOF analyses revealed 83 different proteins/peptides of 1-7 kDa in S. gregaria, and 48 of 1-11 kDa in G. portentosa. 59 (S. gregaria) and 27 (G. portentosa) proteins exclusively occurred in the tarsal secretion. In G. portentosa, a characteristic series of signal peaks occurred in the range of c. 10-12 kDa, each peak being approximately 160 Da apart. Such a pattern is indicative of proteins modified by glycosylation. Our approach demonstrates that extensive sampling involving considerable time and manpower to sample the adhesive fluid directly from the tarsi opens up a perspective for extracting peptides and proteins in sufficient quantities. This makes them accessible to the field of proteomics and thus to elucidate their possible function in the adhesive process.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Betz
- Professur für Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Tübingen, Germany
| | - A Maurer
- Medizinisch-Naturwissenschaftliches Forschungszentrum, Tübingen, Germany
| | - A N Verheyden
- Professur für Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Tübingen, Germany
| | - C Schmitt
- Professur für Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Tübingen, Germany
| | - T Kowalik
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Bremen, Germany
| | - J Braun
- Professur für Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Tübingen, Germany
| | - I Grunwald
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Bremen, Germany
| | - A Hartwig
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung, Bremen, Germany
| | - M Neuenfeldt
- Professur für Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Tübingen, Germany
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Heepe L, Wolff JO, Gorb SN. Influence of ambient humidity on the attachment ability of ladybird beetles ( Coccinella septempunctata). BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 7:1322-1329. [PMID: 27826506 PMCID: PMC5082439 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.7.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Many insects possess adhesive foot pads, which enable them to scale smooth vertical surfaces. The function of these organs may be highly affected by environmental conditions. Ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) possess dense tarsal soles of tenent setae, supplemented with an adhesive fluid. We studied the attachment ability of the seven-spotted ladybird beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) at different humidities by horizontal traction experiments. We found that both low (15%) and high (99%) relative humidities lead to a decrease of attachment ability. The significantly highest attachment forces were revealed at 60% humidity. This relationship was found both in female and male beetles, despite of a deviating structure of adhesive setae and a significant difference in forces between sexes. These findings demonstrate that not only dry adhesive setae are affected by ambient humidity, but also setae that stick due to the capillarity of an oily secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Heepe
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
- Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, NanoSYD Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
| | - Jonas O Wolff
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
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Insect Adhesion Secretions: Similarities and Dissimilarities in Hydrocarbon Profiles of Tarsi and Corresponding Tibiae. J Chem Ecol 2016; 42:725-738. [PMID: 27380036 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-016-0718-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Spatially controlled in vivo sampling by contact solid phase microextraction with a non-coated silica fiber combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized for hydrocarbon profiling in tarsal adhesion secretions of four insect species (Nicrophorus vespilloides, Nicrophorus nepalensis, Sagra femorata, and Gromphadorhina portentosa) by using distinct adhesion systems, viz. hairy or smooth tarsi. For comparison, corresponding samples from tibiae, representing the general cuticular hydrocarbon profile, were analyzed to enable the statistical inference of active molecular adhesion principles in tarsal secretions possibly contributed by specific hydrocarbons. n-Alkanes, monomethyl and dimethyl alkanes, alkenes, alkadienes, and one aldehyde were detected. Multivariate statistical analysis (principal component and orthogonal partial least square discriminant analyses) gave insights into distinctive molecular features among the various insect species and between tarsus and tibia samples. In general, corresponding hydrocarbon profiles in tarsus and tibia samples largely resembled each other, both qualitatively and in relative abundances as well. However, several specific hydrocarbons showed significantly different relative abundances between corresponding tarsus and tibia samples, thus indicating that such differences of specific hydrocarbons in the complex mixtures might constitute a delicate mechanism for fine-tuning the reversible attachment performances in tarsal adhesive fluids that are composed of substances originating from the same pool as cuticular hydrocarbons. Caused by melting point depression, the multicomponent tarsal adhesion secretion, made up of straight chain alkanes, methyl alkanes, and alkenes will have a semi-solid, grease-like consistency, which might provide the basis for a good reversible attachment performance.
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Tarsi of Male Heliothine Moths Contain Aldehydes and Butyrate Esters as Potential Pheromone Components. J Chem Ecol 2016; 42:425-32. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-016-0701-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Labonte D, Federle W. Scaling and biomechanics of surface attachment in climbing animals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20140027. [PMID: 25533088 PMCID: PMC4275900 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attachment devices are essential adaptations for climbing animals and valuable models for synthetic adhesives. A major unresolved question for both natural and bioinspired attachment systems is how attachment performance depends on size. Here, we discuss how contact geometry and mode of detachment influence the scaling of attachment forces for claws and adhesive pads, and how allometric data on biological systems can yield insights into their mechanism of attachment. Larger animals are expected to attach less well to surfaces, due to their smaller surface-to-volume ratio, and because it becomes increasingly difficult to distribute load uniformly across large contact areas. In order to compensate for this decrease of weight-specific adhesion, large animals could evolve overproportionally large pads, or adaptations that increase attachment efficiency (adhesion or friction per unit contact area). Available data suggest that attachment pad area scales close to isometry within clades, but pad efficiency in some animals increases with size so that attachment performance is approximately size-independent. The mechanisms underlying this biologically important variation in pad efficiency are still unclear. We suggest that switching between stress concentration (easy detachment) and uniform load distribution (strong attachment) via shear forces is one of the key mechanisms enabling the dynamic control of adhesion during locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Labonte
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Walter Federle
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Labonte D, Federle W. Rate-dependence of 'wet' biological adhesives and the function of the pad secretion in insects. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:8661-73. [PMID: 26376599 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm01496d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Many insects use soft adhesive footpads for climbing. The surface contact of these organs is mediated by small volumes of a liquid secretion, which forms thin films in the contact zone. Here, we investigate the role of viscous dissipation by this secretion and the 'bulk' pad cuticle by quantifying the rate-dependence of the adhesive force of individual pads. Adhesion increased with retraction speed, but this effect was independent of the amount of pad secretion present in the contact zone, suggesting that the secretion's viscosity did not play a significant role. Instead, the rate-dependence can be explained by relating the strain energy release rate to the speed of crack propagation, using an established empirical power law. The 'wet' pads' behaviour was akin to that of 'dry' elastomers, with an equilibrium energy release rate close to that of dry van-der-Waals contacts. We suggest that the secretion mainly serves as a 'release layer', minimising viscous dissipation and thereby reducing the time- and 'loading-history'-dependence of the adhesive pads. In contrast to many commercial adhesives which derive much of their strength from viscous dissipation, we show that the major modulator of adhesive strength in 'wet' biological adhesive pads is friction, exhibiting a much larger effect than retraction speed. A comparison between 'wet' and 'dry' biological adhesives, using both results from this study and the literature, revealed a striking lack of differences in attachment performance under varying experimental conditions. Together, these results suggest that 'wet' and 'dry' biological adhesives may be more similar than previously thought.
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NMR spectroscopy reveals the presence and association of lipids and keratin in adhesive gecko setae. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9594. [PMID: 25902194 PMCID: PMC5386106 DOI: 10.1038/srep09594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid and protein aggregates are one of the fundamental materials of biological systems. Examples include cell membranes, insect cuticle, vertebrate epidermis, feathers, hair and adhesive structures known as ‘setae’ on gecko toes. Until recently gecko setae were assumed to be composed entirely of keratin, but analysis of footprints left behind by geckos walking on surfaces revealed that setae include various kinds of lipids. However, the arrangement and molecular-level behavior of lipids and keratin in the setae is still not known. In the present study we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques to confirm the presence of lipids and investigate their association with keratin in ‘pristine' sheds, or natural molts of the adhesive toe pad and non-adhesive regions of the skin. Analysis was also carried on the sheds after they were ‘delipidized’ to remove surface lipids. Our results show a distribution of similar lipids in both the skin and toe shed but with different dynamics at a molecular level. The present study can help us understand the gecko system both biologically and for design of synthetic adhesives, but the findings may be relevant to the characteristics of lipid-protein interactions in other biological systems.
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Gerhardt H, Schmitt C, Betz O, Albert K, Lämmerhofer M. Contact solid-phase microextraction with uncoated glass and polydimethylsiloxane-coated fibers versus solvent sampling for the determination of hydrocarbons in adhesion secretions of Madagascar hissing cockroaches Gromphadorrhina portentosa (Blattodea) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2015; 1388:24-35. [PMID: 25728659 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2015.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Molecular profiles of adhesion secretions of Gromphadorrhina portentosa (Madagascar hissing cockroach, Blattodea) were investigated by gas chromatography mass spectrometry with particular focus on a comprehensive analysis of linear and branched hydrocarbons. For this purpose, secretions from the tarsi (feet), possibly contributing to adhesion on smooth surfaces, and control samples taken from the tibiae (lower legs), which contain general cuticular hydrocarbons that are supposed to be not involved in the biological adhesion function, were analyzed and their molecular fingerprints compared. A major analytical difficulty in such a study constitutes the representative, spatially controlled, precise and reproducible sampling from a living insect as well as the minute quantities of insect secretions on both tarsi and tibiae. Thus, three different in vivo sampling methods were compared in terms of sampling reproducibility and extraction efficiency by replicate measurement of samples from tarsi and tibiae. While contact solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber showed higher peak intensities, a self-made uncoated glass fiber had the best repeatability in contact-SPME sampling. Chromatographic profiles of these two contact-SPME sampling methods were statistically not significantly different. Inter-individual variances were larger than potentially existing minor differences in molecular patterns of distinct sampling methods. Sampling by solvent extraction was time consuming, showed lower sensitivities and was less reproducible. In general, sampling by contact-SPME with a cheap glass fiber turned out to be a viable alternative to PDMS-SPME sampling. Hydrocarbon patterns of the tarsal adhesion secretions were qualitatively similar to those of epicuticular hydrocarbon profiles of the tibiae. However, hydrocarbons were in general less abundant in tarsal secretions than secretions from tibiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Gerhardt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Schmitt
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Betz
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Albert
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Lämmerhofer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical (Bio)Analysis, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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41
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Reitz M, Gerhardt H, Schmitt C, Betz O, Albert K, Lämmerhofer M. Analysis of chemical profiles of insect adhesion secretions by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 2015; 854:47-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2014.10.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Interlocking-based attachment during locomotion in the beetle Pachnoda marginata (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Sci Rep 2014; 4:6998. [PMID: 25385502 PMCID: PMC4227028 DOI: 10.1038/srep06998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The attachment function of tibial spurs and pretarsal claws in the beetle Pachnoda marginata (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) during locomotion was examined in this study. First, we measured the angle, at which the beetles detached from substrates with different roughness. At a surface roughness of 12 μm and higher, intact animals were able to cling to a completely tilted platform (180°). Second, we estimated the forces the beetles could exert in walking on smooth and rough cylinders of different diameters, on a plane and also between two plates. To elucidate the role of the individual structures, we ablated them consecutively. We found tibial spurs not to be in use in walking on flat substrates. On some of the curved substrates, ablation of tibial spurs caused an effect. A clear effect of tibial spurs was revealed in walking between two plates. Thus, these structures are probably used for generating propulsion in narrowed spaces.
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43
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Peisker H, Heepe L, Kovalev AE, Gorb SN. Comparative study of the fluid viscosity in tarsal hairy attachment systems of flies and beetles. J R Soc Interface 2014; 11:20140752. [PMID: 25142527 PMCID: PMC4233759 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Wet adhesive systems of insects strongly rely for their function on the formation of capillary bridges with the substrate. Studies on the chemical composition and evaporation dynamics of tarsal secretions strongly suggest a difference in chemistry of secretion in beetles and flies, both possessing hairy attachment devices. This difference is assumed to influence the viscosity of the secretion. Here, we applied a microrheological technique, based on the immersion of nanometric beads in the collected tarsal footprints, to estimate secretion viscosity in a beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) and a fly (Calliphora vicina). Both species studied possess distinct differences in viscosity, the median of which was calculated as 21.8 and 10.9 mPa s, respectively. We further present an approximate theoretical model to calculate the contact formation time of spatula-like terminal contact elements using the viscosity data of the covering fluid. The estimated contact formation time is proportional to the tarsal secretion viscosity and to the square of the contact radius of the contact element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Peisker
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Heepe
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Alexander E Kovalev
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Gorb E, Böhm S, Jacky N, Maier LP, Dening K, Pechook S, Pokroy B, Gorb S. Insect attachment on crystalline bioinspired wax surfaces formed by alkanes of varying chain lengths. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 5:1031-41. [PMID: 25161838 PMCID: PMC4143128 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.5.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The impeding effect of plant surfaces covered with three-dimensional wax on attachment and locomotion of insects has been shown previously in numerous experimental studies. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different parameters of crystalline wax coverage on insect attachment. We performed traction experiments with the beetle Coccinella septempunctata and pull-off force measurements with artificial adhesive systems (tacky polydimethylsiloxane semi-spheres) on bioinspired wax surfaces formed by four alkanes of varying chain lengths (C36H74, C40H82, C44H90, and C50H102). All these highly hydrophobic coatings were composed of crystals having similar morphologies but differing in size and distribution/density, and exhibited different surface roughness. The crystal size (length and thickness) decreased with an increase of the chain length of the alkanes that formed these surfaces, whereas the density of the wax coverage, as well as the surface roughness, showed an opposite relationship. Traction tests demonstrated a significant, up to 30 fold, reduction of insect attachment forces on the wax surfaces when compared with the reference glass sample. Attachment of the beetles to the wax substrates probably relied solely on the performance of adhesive pads. We found no influence of the wax coatings on the subsequent attachment ability of beetles. The obtained data are explained by the reduction of the real contact between the setal tips of the insect adhesive pads and the wax surfaces due to the micro- and nanoscopic roughness introduced by wax crystals. Experiments with polydimethylsiloxane semi-spheres showed much higher forces on wax samples when compared to insect attachment forces measured on these surfaces. We explain these results by the differences in material properties between polydimethylsiloxane probes and tenent setae of C. septempunctata beetles. Among wax surfaces, force experiments showed stronger insect attachment and higher pull-off forces of polydimethylsiloxane probes on wax surfaces having a higher density of wax coverage, created by smaller crystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sandro Böhm
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Nadine Jacky
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Louis-Philippe Maier
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Kirstin Dening
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sasha Pechook
- Department of Material Science and Engineering and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Boaz Pokroy
- Department of Material Science and Engineering and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
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45
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Spinner M, Westhoff G, Gorb SN. Subdigital setae of chameleon feet: friction-enhancing microstructures for a wide range of substrate roughness. Sci Rep 2014; 4:5481. [PMID: 24970387 PMCID: PMC4073164 DOI: 10.1038/srep05481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Hairy adhesive systems of microscopic setae with triangular flattened tips have evolved convergently in spiders, insects and arboreal lizards. The ventral sides of the feet and tails in chameleons are also covered with setae. However, chameleon setae feature strongly elongated narrow spatulae or fibrous tips. The friction enhancing function of these microstructures has so far only been demonstrated in contact with glass spheres. In the present study, the frictional properties of subdigital setae of Chamaeleo calyptratus were measured under normal forces in the physical range on plane substrates having different roughness. We showed that chameleon setae maximize friction on a wide range of substrate roughness. The highest friction was measured on asperities of 1 μm. However, our observations of the climbing ability of Ch. calyptratus on rods of different diameters revealed that also claws and grasping feet are additionally responsible for the force generation on various substrates during locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Spinner
- 1] Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany [2] Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Guido Westhoff
- 1] Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany [2] Tierpark Hagenbeck gGmbH, Lokstedter Grenzstraβe 2, 22527 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Vendamme R, Schüwer N, Eevers W. Recent synthetic approaches and emerging bio-inspired strategies for the development of sustainable pressure-sensitive adhesives derived from renewable building blocks. J Appl Polym Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/app.40669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Schüwer
- Nitto Denko Europe Technical Centre SARL; Quartier de l'Innovation de l'École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL); Bâtiment G 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Walter Eevers
- Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO NV); Boeretang 200 2400 Mol Belgium
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Tsipenyuk A, Varenberg M. Use of biomimetic hexagonal surface texture in friction against lubricated skin. J R Soc Interface 2014; 11:20140113. [PMID: 24621819 PMCID: PMC3973375 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Smooth contact pads that evolved in insects, amphibians and mammals to enhance the attachment abilities of the animals' feet are often dressed with surface micropatterns of different shapes that act in the presence of a fluid secretion. One of the most striking surface patterns observed in contact pads of these animals is based on a hexagonal texture, which is recognized as a friction-oriented feature capable of suppressing both stick-slip and hydroplaning while enabling friction tuning. Here, we compare this design of natural friction surfaces to textures developed for working in similar conditions in disposable safety razors. When slid against lubricated human skin, the hexagonal surface texture is capable of generating about twice the friction of its technical competitors, which is related to it being much more effective at channelling of the lubricant fluid out of the contact zone. The draining channel shape and contact area fraction are found to be the most important geometrical parameters governing the fluid drainage rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Tsipenyuk
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technion, , Haifa 32000, Israel
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48
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Grohmann C, Blankenstein A, Koops S, Gorb SN. Attachment of Galerucella nymphaeae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)to surfaces with different surface energy. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:4213-20. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.108902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Numerous studies deal with insect attachment on surfaces with different roughness, however, little is known about insect attachment on surfaces with different chemistry. In the present study, we describe attachment structures of the water-lily leaf beetle Galerucella nymphaeae (Linnaeus, 1758) and test the hypothesis that larval and adult stages can generate strongest attachment on surfaces with contact angles that are similar to those of leaves of their host plants. The larvae bear a smooth attachment system with arolium-like structures at their legs and a pygopodium at the abdomen tip. Adults have pointed setae on the ventral side of the two proximal tarsomeres and densely arranged spatula-shaped ones on their third tarsomere. In a centrifugal force tester, larvae and adults attained highest friction forces and safety factors on surfaces with a water contact angle of 83° compared to those of 6, 26 and 109°. This comes close to the contact angle of their host plant Nuphar lutea (86°). The similarity of larval and adult performances might be a result of a similar chemical composition of their attachment fluid. We compare our findings with previous studies on the forces insects generate on surfaces with different surface energies.
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49
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Kovalev AE, Filippov AE, Gorb SN. Insect wet steps: loss of fluid from insect feet adhering to a substrate. J R Soc Interface 2013; 10:20120639. [PMID: 23034352 PMCID: PMC3565793 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2012.0639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Reliable attachment ability of insect adhesive pads is proposed to be due to pad secretion. It has been shown that surface roughness strongly reduces adhesion forces of insect pads. This effect has been explained by decreased contact area and rapid fluid absorption from the pad surface by rough surfaces. However, it remains unclear how the fluid flows on rough substrates having different roughness parameters and surface energy. In this paper, we numerically studied the fluid flow on rough substrates during contact formation. The results demonstrate that an increase in the density of the substrate structures leads to an increase in fluid loss from the pad: substrates with a fine roughness absorb pad fluid faster. Decreased affinity of the solid substrate to the fluid has a more remarkable effect on the fluid loss and leads to a decrease in the fluid loss. With an increase in the aspect ratio of the substrate irregularities (porosity), the fluid loss is decreased. The numerical results obtained agree well with previous observations on insects and experimental results on nanoporous substrata. The significance of the obtained results for understanding biological wet adhesives is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Kovalev
- Department Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute of the University of Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Alexander E. Filippov
- Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering, National Academy of Science, Donetsk, Ukraine
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Department Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute of the University of Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, 24098 Kiel, Germany
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50
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Moon MJ, Kim HJ, Kim H, Park JG. Microstructure of the biological attachment devices in the ladybugHarmonia axyridis(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2012.699003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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