1
|
Klunk CL, Argenta MA, Rosumek FB, Schmelzle S, van de Kamp T, Hammel JU, Pie MR, Heethoff M. Simulated biomechanical performance of morphologically disparate ant mandibles under bite loading. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16833. [PMID: 37803099 PMCID: PMC10558566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43944-8] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects evolved various modifications to their mouthparts, allowing for a broad exploration of feeding modes. In ants, workers perform non-reproductive tasks like excavation, food processing, and juvenile care, relying heavily on their mandibles. Given the importance of biting for ant workers and the significant mandible morphological diversity across species, it is essential to understand how mandible shape influences its mechanical responses to bite loading. We employed Finite Element Analysis to simulate biting scenarios on mandible volumetric models from 25 ant species classified in different feeding habits. We hypothesize that mandibles of predatory ants, especially trap-jaw ants, would perform better than mandibles of omnivorous species due to their necessity to subdue living prey. We defined simulations to allow only variation in mandible morphology between specimens. Our results demonstrated interspecific differences in mandible mechanical responses to biting loading. However, we found no evident differences in biting performance between the predatory and the remaining ants, and trap-jaw mandibles did not show lower stress levels than other mandibles under bite loading. These results suggest that ant feeding habit is not a robust predictor of mandible biting performance, a possible consequence of mandibles being employed as versatile tools to perform several tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C L Klunk
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Conservation, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Av. Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos, 100 - Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil.
- Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - M A Argenta
- Department of Civil Construction, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - F B Rosumek
- Department of Ecology and Zoology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - S Schmelzle
- Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - T van de Kamp
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Laboratory for Applications of Synchrotron Radiation (LAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - J U Hammel
- Institute of Materials Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - M R Pie
- Biology Department, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK
| | - M Heethoff
- Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kulkarni SS, Steiner HG, Garcia EL, Iuri H, Jones RR, Ballesteros JA, Gainett G, Graham MR, Harms D, Lyle R, Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Santibañez-López CE, Silva de Miranda G, Cushing PE, Gavish-Regev E, Sharma PP. Neglected no longer: Phylogenomic resolution of higher-level relationships in Solifugae. iScience 2023; 26:107684. [PMID: 37694155 PMCID: PMC10484990 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced sequencing technologies have expedited resolution of higher-level arthropod relationships. Yet, dark branches persist, principally among groups occurring in cryptic habitats. Among chelicerates, Solifugae ("camel spiders") is the last order lacking a higher-level phylogeny and have thus been historically characterized as "neglected [arachnid] cousins". Though renowned for aggression, remarkable running speed, and xeric adaptation, inferring solifuge relationships has been hindered by inaccessibility of diagnostic morphological characters, whereas molecular investigations have been limited to one of 12 recognized families. Our phylogenomic dataset via capture of ultraconserved elements sampling all extant families recovered a well-resolved phylogeny, with two distinct groups of New World taxa nested within a broader Paleotropical radiation. Divergence times using fossil calibrations inferred that Solifugae radiated by the Permian, and most families diverged prior to the Paleogene-Cretaceous extinction, likely driven by continental breakup. We establish Boreosolifugae new suborder uniting five Laurasian families, and Australosolifugae new suborder uniting seven Gondwanan families using morphological and biogeographic signal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth S. Kulkarni
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Hugh G. Steiner
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Erika L. Garcia
- Department of Zoology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | - Hernán Iuri
- División de Aracnología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Buenos Aires 1405DJR, Argentina
| | - R. Ryan Jones
- Department of Zoology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | | | - Guilherme Gainett
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Matthew R. Graham
- Department of Biology, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT 06226, USA
| | - Danilo Harms
- Museum of Nature Hamburg - Zoology, Department of Invertebrates, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robin Lyle
- Biosystematics: Arachnology, ARC—Plant Health and Protection, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | | | - Gustavo Silva de Miranda
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Paula E. Cushing
- Department of Zoology, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | - Efrat Gavish-Regev
- The National Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Prashant P. Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Püffel F, Johnston R, Labonte D. A biomechanical model for the relation between bite force and mandibular opening angle in arthropods. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221066. [PMID: 36816849 PMCID: PMC9929505 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bite forces play a key role in animal ecology: they affect mating behaviour, fighting success, and the ability to feed. Although feeding habits of arthropods have a significant ecological and economical impact, we lack fundamental knowledge on how the morphology and physiology of their bite apparatus controls bite performance, and its variation with mandible gape. To address this gap, we derived a biomechanical model that characterizes the relationship between bite force and mandibular opening angle from first principles. We validate this model by comparing its geometric predictions with morphological measurements on the muscoloskeletal bite apparatus of Atta cephalotes leaf-cutter ants, using computed tomography (CT) scans obtained at different mandible opening angles. We then demonstrate its deductive and inductive utility with three examplary use cases: Firstly, we extract the physiological properties of the leaf-cutter ant mandible closer muscle from in vivo bite force measurements. Secondly, we show that leaf-cutter ants are specialized to generate extraordinarily large bite forces, equivalent to about 2600 times their body weight. Thirdly, we discuss the relative importance of morphology and physiology in determining the magnitude and variation of bite force. We hope that a more detailed quantitative understanding of the link between morphology, physiology, and bite performance will facilitate future comparative studies on the insect bite apparatus, and help to advance our knowledge of the behaviour, ecology and evolution of arthropods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Püffel
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Richard Johnston
- School of Engineering, Materials Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - David Labonte
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bicknell RDC, Simone Y, van der Meijden A, Wroe S, Edgecombe GD, Paterson JR. Biomechanical analyses of pterygotid sea scorpion chelicerae uncover predatory specialisation within eurypterids. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14515. [PMID: 36523454 PMCID: PMC9745958 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eurypterids (sea scorpions) are extinct aquatic chelicerates. Within this group, members of Pterygotidae represent some of the largest known marine arthropods. Representatives of this family all have hypertrophied, anteriorly-directed chelicerae and are commonly considered Silurian and Devonian apex predators. Despite a long history of research interest in these appendages, pterygotids have been subject to limited biomechanical investigation. Here, we present finite element analysis (FEA) models of four different pterygotid chelicerae-those of Acutiramus bohemicus, Erettopterus bilobus, Jaekelopterus rhenaniae, and Pterygotus anglicus-informed through muscle data and finite element models (FEMs) of chelae from 16 extant scorpion taxa. We find that Er. bilobus and Pt. anglicus have comparable stress patterns to modern scorpions, suggesting a generalised diet that probably included other eurypterids and, in the Devonian species, armoured fishes, as indicated by co-occurring fauna. Acutiramus bohemicus is markedly different, with the stress being concentrated in the proximal free ramus and the serrated denticles. This indicates a morphology better suited for targeting softer prey. Jaekelopterus rhenaniae exhibits much lower stress across the entire model. This, combined with an extremely large body size, suggests that the species likely fed on larger and harder prey, including heavily armoured fishes. The range of cheliceral morphologies and stress patterns within Pterygotidae demonstrate that members of this family had variable diets, with only the most derived species likely to feed on armoured prey, such as placoderms. Indeed, increased sizes of these forms throughout the mid-Palaeozoic may represent an 'arms race' between eurypterids and armoured fishes, with Devonian pterygotids adapting to the rapid diversification of placoderms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Russell D. C. Bicknell
- Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental & Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia,Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Yuri Simone
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental & Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia,Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | | | - John R. Paterson
- Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental & Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rühr PT, Blanke A. forceX
and
forceR
: a mobile setup and R package to measure and analyse a wide range of animal closing forces. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter T. Rühr
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1 Bonn Germany
| | - Alexander Blanke
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1 Bonn Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Krings W, Neumann C, Neiber MT, Kovalev A, Gorb SN. Radular force performance of stylommatophoran gastropods (Mollusca) with distinct body masses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10560. [PMID: 34006949 PMCID: PMC8131350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89892-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The forces exerted by the animal's food processing structures can be important parameters when studying trophic specializations to specific food spectra. Even though molluscs represent the second largest animal phylum, exhibiting an incredible biodiversity accompanied by the establishment of distinct ecological niches including the foraging on a variety of ingesta types, only few studies focused on the biomechanical performance of their feeding organs. To lay a keystone for future research in this direction, we investigated the in vivo forces exerted by the molluscan food gathering and processing structure, the radula, for five stylommatophoran species (Gastropoda). The chosen species and individuals have a similar radular morphology and motion, but as they represent different body mass classes, we were enabled to relate the forces to body mass. Radular forces were measured along two axes using force transducers which allowed us to correlate forces with the distinct phases of radular motion. A radular force quotient, AFQ = mean Absolute Force/bodymass0.67, of 4.3 could be determined which can be used further for the prediction of forces generated in Gastropoda. Additionally, some specimens were dissected and the radular musculature mass as well as the radular mass and dimensions were documented. Our results depict the positive correlation between body mass, radular musculature mass, and exerted force. Additionally, it was clearly observed that the radular motion phases, exerting the highest forces during feeding, changed with regard to the ingesta size: all smaller gastropods rather approached the food by a horizontal, sawing-like radular motion leading to the consumption of rather small food particles, whereas larger gastropods rather pulled the ingesta in vertical direction by radula and jaw resulting in the tearing of larger pieces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wencke Krings
- Department of Mammalogy and Palaeoanthropology, Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany. .,Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Charlotte Neumann
- Department of Mammalogy and Palaeoanthropology, Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marco T Neiber
- Department of Animal Diversity, Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Kovalev
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav N Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118, Kiel, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Stidham TA. Evaluating hypotheses for the function of the ‘hissing’ stridulation of sun spiders (Arachnida Solifugae). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2019.1691056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Stidham
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi Zhi Men Wai Da Jie, Beijing 100044, China; CAS – Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China (E-mail: )
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Aria C, Caron JB. A middle Cambrian arthropod with chelicerae and proto-book gills. Nature 2019; 573:586-589. [PMID: 31511691 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1525-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The chelicerates are a ubiquitous and speciose group of animals that has a considerable ecological effect on modern terrestrial ecosystems-notably as predators of insects and also, for instance, as decomposers1. The fossil record shows that chelicerates diversified early in the marine ecosystems of the Palaeozoic era, by at least the Ordovician period2. However, the timing of chelicerate origins and the type of body plan that characterized the earliest members of this group have remained controversial. Although megacheirans3-5 have previously been interpreted as chelicerate-like, and habeliidans6 (including Sanctacaris7,8) have been suggested to belong to their immediate stem lineage, evidence for the specialized feeding appendages (chelicerae) that are diagnostic of the chelicerates has been lacking. Here we use exceptionally well-preserved and abundant fossil material from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale (Marble Canyon, British Columbia, Canada) to show that Mollisonia plenovenatrix sp. nov. possessed robust but short chelicerae that were placed very anteriorly, between the eyes. This suggests that chelicerae evolved a specialized feeding function early on, possibly as a modification of short antennules. The head also encompasses a pair of large compound eyes, followed by three pairs of long, uniramous walking legs and three pairs of stout, gnathobasic masticatory appendages; this configuration links habeliidans with euchelicerates ('true' chelicerates, excluding the sea spiders). The trunk ends in a four-segmented pygidium and bears eleven pairs of identical limbs, each of which is composed of three broad lamellate exopod flaps, and endopods are either reduced or absent. These overlapping exopod flaps resemble euchelicerate book gills, although they lack the diagnostic operculum9. In addition, the eyes of M. plenovenatrix were innervated by three optic neuropils, which strengthens the view that a complex malacostracan-like visual system10,11 might have been plesiomorphic for all crown euarthropods. These fossils thus show that chelicerates arose alongside mandibulates12 as benthic micropredators, at the heart of the Cambrian explosion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Aria
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jean-Bernard Caron
- Department of Natural History (Palaeobiology Section), Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schmelzle S, Blüthgen N. Under pressure: force resistance measurements in box mites (Actinotrichida, Oribatida). Front Zool 2019; 16:24. [PMID: 31312228 PMCID: PMC6611053 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0325-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mechanical defenses are very common and diverse in prey species, for example in oribatid mites. Here, the probably most complex form of morphological defense is known as ptychoidy, that enables the animals to completely retract the appendages into a secondary cavity and encapsulate themselves. The two groups of ptychoid mites constituting the Ptyctima, i.e. Euphthiracaroidea and Phthiracaroidea, have a hardened cuticle and are well protected against similar sized predators. Euphthiracaroidea additionally feature predator-repelling secretions. Since both taxa evolved within the glandulate group of Oribatida, the question remains why Phthiracaroidea lost this additional protection. In earlier predation bioassays, chemically disarmed specimens of Euphthiracaroidea were cracked by the staphylinid beetle Othius punctulatus, whereas equally sized specimens of Phthiracaroidea survived. We thus hypothesized that Phthiracaroidea can withstand significantly more force than Euphthiracaroidea and that the specific body form in each group is key in understanding the loss of chemical defense in Phthiracaroidea. To measure force resistance, we adapted the principle of machines applying compressive forces for very small animals and tested the two ptyctimous taxa as well as the soft-bodied mite Archegozetes longisetosus. Results Some Phthiracaroidea individuals sustained about 560,000 times their body weight. Their mean resistance was about three times higher, and their mean breaking point in relation to body weight nearly two times higher than Euphthiracaroidea individuals. The breaking point increased with body weight and differed significantly between the two taxa. Across taxa, the absolute force resistance increased sublinearly (with a 0.781 power term) with the animal's body weight. Force resistance of A. longisetosus was inferior in all tests (about half that of Euphthiracaroidea after accounting for body weight). As an important determinant of mechanical resistance in ptychoid mites, the individuals' cuticle thickness increased sublinearly with body diameter and body mass as well and did not differ significantly between the taxa. Conclusion We showed the feasibility of the force resistance measurement method, and our results were consistent with the hypothesis that Phthiracaroidea compensated its lack of chemical secretions by a heavier mechanical resistance based on a different body form and associated build-up of hemolymph pressure (defensive trade-off).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schmelzle
- Department of Biology, Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Department of Biology, Ecological Networks, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Larabee FJ, Smith AA, Suarez AV. Snap-jaw morphology is specialized for high-speed power amplification in the Dracula ant, Mystrium camillae. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:181447. [PMID: 30662749 PMCID: PMC6304126 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
What is the limit of animal speed and what mechanisms produce the fastest movements? More than natural history trivia, the answer provides key insight into the form-function relationship of musculoskeletal movement and can determine the outcome of predator-prey interactions. The fastest known animal movements belong to arthropods, including trap-jaw ants, mantis shrimp and froghoppers, that have incorporated latches and springs into their appendage systems to overcome the limits of muscle power. In contrast to these examples of power amplification, where separate structures act as latch and spring to accelerate an appendage, some animals use a 'snap-jaw' mechanism that incorporates the latch and spring on the accelerating appendage itself. We examined the kinematics and functional morphology of the Dracula ant, Mystrium camillae, who use a snap-jaw mechanism to quickly slide their mandibles across each other similar to a finger snap. Kinematic analysis of high-speed video revealed that snap-jaw ant mandibles complete their strike in as little as 23 µsec and reach peak velocities of 90 m s-1, making them the fastest known animal appendage. Finite-element analysis demonstrated that snap-jaw mandibles were less stiff than biting non-power-amplified mandibles, consistent with their use as a flexible spring. These results extend our understanding of animal speed and demonstrate how small changes in morphology can result in dramatic differences in performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fredrick J. Larabee
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Adrian A. Smith
- Research and Collections, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Andrew V. Suarez
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Beckman Institute for Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
McLean CJ, Garwood RJ, Brassey CA. Sexual dimorphism in the Arachnid orders. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5751. [PMID: 30416880 PMCID: PMC6225839 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual differences in size and shape are common across the animal kingdom. The study of sexual dimorphism (SD) can provide insight into the sexual- and natural-selection pressures experienced by males and females in different species. Arachnids are diverse, comprising over 100,000 species, and exhibit some of the more extreme forms of SD in the animal kingdom, with the males and females of some species differing dramatically in body shape and/or size. Despite this, research on arachnid SD has primarily focused on specific clades as opposed to observing traits across arachnid orders, the smallest of which have received comparatively little attention. This review provides an overview of the research to date on the trends and potential evolutionary drivers for SD and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in individual arachnid orders, and across arachnids as a whole. The most common trends across Arachnida are female-biased SSD in total body size, male-biased SSD in relative leg length and SD in pedipalp length and shape. However, the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits within the group is difficult to elucidate due to uncertainty in arachnid phylogenetic relationships. Based on the dataset we have gathered here, we highlight gaps in our current understanding and suggest areas for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Callum J. McLean
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Russell J. Garwood
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Earth Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Charlotte A. Brassey
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Brousseau PM, Gravel D, Handa IT. On the development of a predictive functional trait approach for studying terrestrial arthropods. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1209-1220. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Marc Brousseau
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Université du Québec à Montréal; Montréal QC Canada
| | - Dominique Gravel
- Département de Biologie; Canada Research Chair on Integrative Ecology; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - Ira Tanya Handa
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Université du Québec à Montréal; Montréal QC Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
David S, Funken J, Potthast W, Blanke A. Musculoskeletal modelling under an evolutionary perspective: deciphering the role of single muscle regions in closely related insects. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:20160675. [PMID: 27707910 PMCID: PMC5095224 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects show a remarkable diversity of muscle configurations, yet the factors leading to this functional diversity are poorly understood. Here, we use musculoskeletal modelling to understand the spatio-temporal activity of an insect muscle in several dragonfly species and to reveal potential mechanical factors leading to a particular muscle configuration. Bite characteristics potentially show systematic signal, but absolute bite force is not correlated with size. Muscle configuration and inverse dynamics show that the wider relative area of muscle attachment and the higher activity of subapical muscle groups are responsible for this high bite force. This wider attachment area is, however, not an evolutionary trend within dragonflies. Our inverse dynamic data, furthermore, show that maximum bite forces most probably do not reflect maximal muscle force production capability in all studied species. The thin head capsule and the attachment areas of muscles most probably limit the maximum force output of the mandibular muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sina David
- Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne 50933, Germany
| | - Johannes Funken
- Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne 50933, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Potthast
- Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne 50933, Germany ARCUS Clinics Pforzheim, Rastatter Strasse 17-19, 75179 Pforzheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Blanke
- Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Franz-Guess S, Klußmann-Fricke BJ, Wirkner CS, Prendini L, Starck JM. Morphology of the tracheal system of camel spiders (Chelicerata: Solifugae) based on micro-CT and 3D-reconstruction in exemplar species from three families. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2016; 45:440-451. [PMID: 27519794 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We studied the tracheal system of exemplar species representing three families of Solifugae Sundevall, 1833, i.e., Galeodes granti Pocock, 1903, Ammotrechula wasbaueri Muma, 1962 and Eremobates sp., using μCT-imaging and 3D-reconstruction. This is the first comparative study of the tracheal system of Solifugae in 85 years and the first using high-resolution nondestructive methods. The tracheal system was found to be structurally similar in all three species, with broad major tracheae predominantly in the prosoma as well as anastomoses (i.e., connections between tracheal branches from different stigmata) in the prosoma and opisthosoma. Differences among the three species were observed in the presence or absence of cheliceral air sacs, the number of tracheae supplying the heart, and the ramification of major tracheae in the opisthosoma. The structure of the tracheal system with its extensive branches and some anastomoses is assumed to aid rapid and efficient gas exchange in the respiratory tissues of these active predators. The large diameter of cheliceral tracheae (air sacs) of taxa with disproportionally heavier chelicerae suggests a role in weight reduction, enabling solifuges to reach greater speeds during predation. The air sacs may also permit more rapid and efficient gaseous exchange, necessary to operate the musculature of these structures, thereby improving their use for predation in an environment where prey is scarce.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Franz-Guess
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Biocenter - Department of Biology II, Functional Morphology Group, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Bastian-Jesper Klußmann-Fricke
- Universität Rostock, Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie, Institute für Biowissenschaften, Universitätsplatz 2, 18055, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Christian S Wirkner
- Universität Rostock, Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie, Institute für Biowissenschaften, Universitätsplatz 2, 18055, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Lorenzo Prendini
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Arachnology Lab, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024-5192, USA.
| | - J Matthias Starck
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Biocenter - Department of Biology II, Functional Morphology Group, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Franz-Guess S, Starck JM. Histological and ultrastructural analysis of the respiratory tracheae of Galeodes granti (Chelicerata: Solifugae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2016; 45:452-461. [PMID: 27531444 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Solifuges lack oxygen-carrying proteins like hemocyanins found in other chelicerates. For conduction of gases, therefore, we hypothesize that the tracheal system is divided into convective and respiratory parts, the latter having intimate association with respiring cells, tissues and organs. This hypothesis is supported by studies of tracheae in other arthropods. We used light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy to examine the tracheae of Galeodes granti (Chelicerata, Solifugae). We studied tracheae in cheliceral and leg muscles, midgut and midgut diverticula, the heart and the supra- and subesophageal ganglia of the central nervous system. In all tissues examined, the tracheae penetrate into tissues and can be found between cells. Terminal branches with diameter less than one micron were found embedded into cell bodies of respiring tissue, thus reducing the diffusion distance. We suggest that the terminal branches are specialized for respiratory function due to their thin intima, with reduced endocuticle and exocuticle. Comparison with other tracheate chelicerates suggests parallel evolution of a common tracheal pattern based on homologous cellular building materials within the chelicerates and arthropods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Franz-Guess
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Biocenter - Department of Biology II, Functional Morphology Group, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - J Matthias Starck
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Biocenter - Department of Biology II, Functional Morphology Group, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Barnett AA, Bezerra BM, Santos PJP, Spironello WR, Shaw PJ, MacLarnon A, Ross C. Foraging with finesse: A hard-fruit-eating primate selects the weakest areas as bite sites. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 160:113-25. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A. Barnett
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Ecological Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences; University of Roehampton; London England SW15 4JD UK
- Grupo de Pesquisa de Mamíferos Amazônicos, Coordenação de Biodiversidade; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Manaus Amazonas 69067-375 Brazil
- Programa de Pesquisas Ecológicas de Longa Duração (Ecologia, Monitoramento E Uso Sustentável de Área Úmidas); Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Manaus Amazonas 69067-375 Brazil
| | - Bruna M. Bezerra
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Recife Pernambuco 50670-901 Brazil
| | - Paulo J. P. Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Recife Pernambuco 50670-901 Brazil
| | - Wilson R. Spironello
- Grupo de Pesquisa de Mamíferos Amazônicos, Coordenação de Biodiversidade; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Manaus Amazonas 69067-375 Brazil
| | - Peter J.A. Shaw
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Roehampton; London England SW15 4JD UK
| | - Ann MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Ecological Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences; University of Roehampton; London England SW15 4JD UK
| | - Caroline Ross
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Ecological Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences; University of Roehampton; London England SW15 4JD UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Weihmann T, Reinhardt L, Weißing K, Siebert T, Wipfler B. Fast and Powerful: Biomechanics and Bite Forces of the Mandibles in the American Cockroach Periplaneta americana. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141226. [PMID: 26559671 PMCID: PMC4641686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowing the functionality and capabilities of masticatory apparatuses is essential for the ecological classification of jawed organisms. Nevertheless insects, especially with their outstanding high species number providing an overwhelming morphological diversity, are notoriously underexplored with respect to maximum bite forces and their dependency on the mandible opening angles. Aiming for a general understanding of insect biting, we examined the generalist feeding cockroach Periplaneta americana, characterized by its primitive chewing mouth parts. We measured active isometric bite forces and passive forces caused by joint resistance over the entire mandibular range with a custom-built 2D force transducer. The opening angle of the mandibles was quantified by using a video system. With respect to the effective mechanical advantage of the mandibles and the cross-section areas, we calculated the forces exerted by the mandible closer muscles and the corresponding muscle stress values. Comparisons with the scarce data available revealed close similarities of the cockroaches' mandible closer stress values (58 N/cm2) to that of smaller specialist carnivorous ground beetles, but strikingly higher values than in larger stag beetles. In contrast to available datasets our results imply the activity of faster and slower muscle fibres, with the latter becoming active only when the animals chew on tough material which requires repetitive, hard biting. Under such circumstances the coactivity of fast and slow fibres provides a force boost which is not available during short-term activities, since long latencies prevent a specific effective employment of the slow fibres in this case.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Weihmann
- Dept. of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Reinhardt
- Science of Motion, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kevin Weißing
- Entomology Group, Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Tobias Siebert
- Institute of Sport and Motion Science, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Benjamin Wipfler
- Entomology Group, Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
von Reumont BM, Campbell LI, Jenner RA. Quo vadis venomics? A roadmap to neglected venomous invertebrates. Toxins (Basel) 2014; 6:3488-551. [PMID: 25533518 PMCID: PMC4280546 DOI: 10.3390/toxins6123488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Venomics research is being revolutionized by the increased use of sensitive -omics techniques to identify venom toxins and their transcripts in both well studied and neglected venomous taxa. The study of neglected venomous taxa is necessary both for understanding the full diversity of venom systems that have evolved in the animal kingdom, and to robustly answer fundamental questions about the biology and evolution of venoms without the distorting effect that can result from the current bias introduced by some heavily studied taxa. In this review we draw the outlines of a roadmap into the diversity of poorly studied and understood venomous and putatively venomous invertebrates, which together represent tens of thousands of unique venoms. The main groups we discuss are crustaceans, flies, centipedes, non-spider and non-scorpion arachnids, annelids, molluscs, platyhelminths, nemerteans, and echinoderms. We review what is known about the morphology of the venom systems in these groups, the composition of their venoms, and the bioactivities of the venoms to provide researchers with an entry into a large and scattered literature. We conclude with a short discussion of some important methodological aspects that have come to light with the recent use of new -omics techniques in the study of venoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lahcen I Campbell
- Department of Life Sciences, the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD London, UK.
| | - Ronald A Jenner
- Department of Life Sciences, the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Goyens J, Dirckx J, Dierick M, Van Hoorebeke L, Aerts P. Biomechanical determinants of bite force dimorphism in Cyclommatus metallifer stag beetles. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:1065-71. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.091744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In the stag beetle family (Lucanidae), males have diverged from females by sexual selection. The males fight each other for mating opportunities with their enlarged mandibles. It is known that owners of larger fighting apparatuses are favoured to win the male–male fights, but it was unclear whether male stag beetles also need to produce high bite forces while grabbing and lifting opponents in fights. We show that male Cyclommatus metallifer stag beetles bite three times as forcefully as females. This is not entirely unexpected given the spectacular nature of the fights, but all the more impressive given the difficulty of achieving this with their long mandibles (long levers). Our results suggest no increase in male intrinsic muscle strength to accomplish this. However, morphological analyses show that the long mandibular output levers in males are compensated by elongated input levers (and thus a wider anterior side of the head). The surplus of male bite force capability is realized by enlargement of the closer muscles of the mandibles, while overall muscle force direction remained optimal. To enable the forceful bites required to ensure male reproductive success, male head size and shape are adapted for long input levers and large muscles. Therefore, the entire head should be regarded as an integral part of male armature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Goyens
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Functional Morphology, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of BioMedical Physics, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joris Dirckx
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of BioMedical Physics, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Manuel Dierick
- Ghent University, UGCT-Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Proeftuinstraat 86, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Van Hoorebeke
- Ghent University, UGCT-Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Proeftuinstraat 86, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Aerts
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Functional Morphology, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
van der Meijden A, Lobo Coelho P, Sousa P, Herrel A. Choose your weapon: defensive behavior is associated with morphology and performance in scorpions. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78955. [PMID: 24236075 PMCID: PMC3827323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphology can be adaptive through its effect on performance of an organism. The effect of performance may, however, be modulated by behavior; an organism may choose a behavioral option that does not fully utilize its maximum performance. Behavior may therefore be decoupled from morphology and performance. To gain insight into the relationships between these levels of organization, we combined morphological data on defensive structures with measures of defensive performance, and their utilization in defensive behavior. Scorpion species show significant variation in the morphology and performance of their main defensive structures; their chelae (pincers) and the metasoma ("tail") carrying the stinger. Our data show that size-corrected pinch force varies to almost two orders of magnitude among species, and is correlated with chela morphology. Chela and metasoma morphology are also correlated to the LD50 of the venom, corroborating the anecdotal rule that dangerously venomous scorpions can be recognized by their chelae and metasoma. Analyses of phylogenetic independent contrasts show that correlations between several aspects of chela and metasoma morphology, performance and behavior are present. These correlations suggest co-evolution of behavior with morphology and performance. Path analysis found a performance variable (pinch force) to partially mediate the relationship between morphology (chela aspect ratio) and behavior (defensive stinger usage). We also found a correlation between two aspects of morphology: pincer finger length correlates with the relative "thickness" (aspect ratio) of the metasoma. This suggests scorpions show a trade-off between their two main weapon complexes: the metasoma carrying the stinger, and the pedipalps carrying the chelae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro Lobo Coelho
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro Sousa
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d′Histoire Naturelle, Département d′Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|