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Muinde J, Zhang TH, Liang ZL, Liu SP, Kioko E, Huang ZZ, Ge SQ. Functional Anatomy of Split Compound Eyes of the Whirligig Beetles Dineutus mellyi (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae). INSECTS 2024; 15:122. [PMID: 38392541 PMCID: PMC10889679 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The functional anatomy of the split compound eyes of whirligig beetles Dineutus mellyi (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae) was examined by advanced microscopy and microcomputed tomography. We report the first 3D visualization and analysis of the split compound eyes. On average, the dorsal and ventral eyes contain 1913 ± 44.5 facets and 3099 ± 86.2 facets, respectively. The larger area of ventral eyes ensures a higher field of vision underwater. The ommatidium of the split compound eyes is made up of laminated cornea lenses that offer protection against mechanical injuries, bullet-shaped crystalline cones that guide light to the photoreceptive regions, and screening pigments that ensure directional light passage. The photoreceptive elements, made up of eight retinular cells, exhibit a tri-tiered rhabdom structure, including the upper distal rhabdom, a clear zone that ensures maximum light passage, and an enlarged lower distal rhabdom that ensures optimal photon capture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Muinde
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- National Museums of Kenya, Museum Hill, Nairobi P.O. Box 40658-00100, Kenya
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tian-Hao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zu-Long Liang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Si-Pei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Esther Kioko
- National Museums of Kenya, Museum Hill, Nairobi P.O. Box 40658-00100, Kenya
| | - Zheng-Zhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Si-Qin Ge
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Sun Y, Shields J, Roh C. Whirligig beetle uses lift-based thrust for fastest insect swimming. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R12-R13. [PMID: 38194918 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae) are the fastest-swimming insects. The one-centimeter long aquatic beetle can reach a peak acceleration of 100 m s-2 and a top velocity of 100 body lengths per second. Previous studies have suggested that drag-based thrust by their hind legs is responsible for their propulsion1,2,3,4. For the drag-based thrust to be effective, however, the leg stroke velocity must exceed the swimming velocity. Therefore, for fast-swimming whirligigs, it is unlikely that the drag-based thrust is the main source of acceleration5. Here, we demonstrate that lift-based thrust enables the rapid swimming of the whirligigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Sun
- Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Jena Shields
- Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Chris Roh
- Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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OUP accepted manuscript. Zool J Linn Soc 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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