1
|
Liu C, Chen G, Wang Q, Sun L, Wang K. A study on the aerodynamic behaviors learned from microscopy imaging of beetle corrugated hindwing. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:1822-1835. [PMID: 38530704 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24562] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Beetle hindwings have the unique advantages of lightweight and high strength, which play a key role in flight. In this study, the beetle hindwings were cut along the chordal direction, then the first groove microstructure of different vein cross sections was investigated using the 3D microscope system and the laser scanning confocal microscope. It was found that the position of the first groove relative to the entire chordal cross section of the wing gradually moves backward, which has an effect on the flying aerodynamic behaviors of the beetle. Next, three corrugated airfoils learned from the microscopy imaging of the ladybird beetle hindwing were designed. Then, aerodynamic behaviors were calculated by the ANSYS Fluent software, and it was confirmed that the position of the first groove microstructure affects the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil. For further study, the influence of corrugated structural and motion parameters on the aerodynamic, 2D 'simplified' airfoil models with triangular wave airfoil models (TWA models) was developed and studied. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The position of the first groove microstructure affects the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil. The pressure difference of different corrugation patterns shows significantly asymmetric during the upstroke and downstroke. The aerodynamic is optimal of 2D-TWA models, when the number of corrugations is five, the corrugation is right angle, and the flapping frequency is 75 Hz.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Guodong Chen
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qian Wang
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lining Sun
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kejun Wang
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rodrigues GD, Centeno Filho BL, Morales DF, Dimer RDFRM, Cavalheiro CDS, Krolow TK, Moura MO, Krüger RF. Discrimination of cryptic species: Tabanus triangulum and Tabanus occidentalis (Diptera: Tabanidae) differ in size and shape. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2024; 33:e020123. [PMID: 38896757 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612024028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Horse fly females (Diptera, Tabanidae) are hematophagous and can vector pathogens that affect livestock. Complexes of cryptic species are common in Tabanidae, as exemplified by some species of Tabanus, including Tabanus triangulum and Tabanus occidentalis, both prevalent in the Southern region of Brazil. In this study, geometric morphometrics were employed to ascertain the wing venation in species identification. It was demonstrated that this tool effectively differentiates T. triangulum from T. occidentalis in the coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul state, situated within the Pampa biome. The results indicate that T. triangulum and T. occidentalis occupy distinct regions of the morphological space, allowing their precise identification through geometric morphometrics, which is fast, affordable, and easy to implement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gratchela Dutra Rodrigues
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Animal - PPGBDiv, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | | | - Diuliani Fonseca Morales
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Microbiologia e Parasitologia - PPGMPar, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | | | | | - Tiago Kütter Krolow
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade, Ecologia e Conservação - PPGBEC, Universidade Federal de Tocantins - UFT, Porto Nacional, TO, Brasil
| | | | - Rodrigo Ferreira Krüger
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Parasitos e Vetores, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Uhrhan MJ, Bomphrey RJ, Lin HT. Flow sensing on dragonfly wings. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:107-121. [PMID: 38837424 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15152] [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] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
One feature of animal wings is their embedded mechanosensory system that can support flight control. Insect wings are particularly interesting as they are highly deformable yet the actuation is limited to the wing base. It is established that strain sensors on insect wings can directly mediate reflexive control; however, little is known about airflow sensing by insect wings. What information can flow sensors capture and how can flow sensing benefit flight control? Here, we use the dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) as a model to explore the function of wing sensory bristles in the context of flight control. Combining our detailed anatomical reconstructions of both the sensor microstructures and wing architecture, we used computational fluid dynamics simulations to ask the following questions. (1) Are there strategic locations on wings that sample flow for estimating aerodynamically relevant parameters such as the local effective angle of attack? (2) Is the sensory bristle distribution on dragonfly wings optimal for flow sensing? (3) What is the aerodynamic effect of microstructures found near the sensory bristles on dragonfly wings? We discuss the benefits of flow sensing for flexible wings and how the evolved sensor placement affects information encoding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myriam J Uhrhan
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Richard J Bomphrey
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Huai-Ti Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yoshida M, Fukui T. Numerical Simulation of the Advantages of the Figure-Eight Flapping Motion of an Insect on Aerodynamics under Low Reynolds Number Conditions. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:249. [PMID: 38667261 PMCID: PMC11047854 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9040249] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In proceeding with the advanced development of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are small flying machines, understanding the flight of insects is important because UAVs that use flight are attracting attention. The figure-eight trajectory of the wing tips is often observed in the flight of insects. In this study, we investigated the more efficient figure-eight motion patterns in generating lift during the hovering motion and the relationship between figure-eight motion and Reynolds number. For this purpose, we compared the ratios of the cycle-averaged lift coefficient to the power coefficient generated from each motion by varying the elevation motion angle, which is the rotational motion that represents the figure-eight motion, and the Reynolds number. The result showed that the motion with a smaller initial phase of the elevation motion angle (φe0≤90°) could generate lift more efficiently at all Reynolds numbers. In addition, the figure-eight motion was more effective when the Reynolds number was low.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masato Yoshida
- Department of Master’s Program of Mechanophysics, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Fukui
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology Matsugasaki Goshokaido-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fiad FG, Cardozo M, Nattero J, Gigena GV, Gorla DE, Rodríguez CS. Association between environmental gradient of anthropization and phenotypic plasticity in two species of triatomines. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:169. [PMID: 38566228 PMCID: PMC10986143 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06258-w] [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: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triatoma garciabesi and T. guasayana are considered secondary vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and frequently invade rural houses in central Argentina. Wing and head structures determine the ability of triatomines to disperse. Environmental changes exert selective pressures on populations of both species, promoting changes in these structures that could have consequences for flight dispersal. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a gradient of anthropization and phenotypic plasticity in flight-related traits. METHODS The research was carried out in Cruz del Eje and Ischilín departments (Córdoba, Argentina) and included 423 individuals of the two species of triatomines. To measure the degree of anthropization, a thematic map was constructed using supervised classification, from which seven landscapes were selected, and nine landscape metrics were extracted and used in a hierarchical analysis. To determine the flight capacity and the invasion of dwellings at different levels of anthropization for both species, entomological indices were calculated. Digital images of the body, head and wings were used to measure linear and geometric morphometric variables related to flight dispersion. One-way ANOVA and canonical variate analysis (CVA) were used to analyze differences in size and shape between levels of anthropization. Procrustes variance of shape was calculated to analyze differences in phenotypic variation in heads and wings. RESULTS Hierarchical analysis was used to classify the landscapes into three levels of anthropization: high, intermediate and low. The dispersal index for both species yielded similar results across the anthropization gradient. However, in less anthropized landscapes, the density index was higher for T. garciabesi. Additionally, in highly anthropized landscapes, females and males of both species exhibited reduced numbers. Regarding phenotypic changes, the size of body, head and wings of T. garciabesi captured in the most anthropized landscapes was greater than for those captured in less anthropized landscapes. No differences in body size were observed in T. guasayana collected in the different landscapes. However, males from highly anthropized landscapes had smaller heads and wings than those captured in less anthropized landscapes. Both wing and head shapes varied between less and more anthropogenic environments in both species. CONCLUSIONS Results of the study indicate that the flight-dispersal characteristics of T. garciabesi and T. guasayana changed in response to varying degrees of anthropization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico G Fiad
- Cátedra de Morfología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Miriam Cardozo
- Cátedra de Introducción a la Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Julieta Nattero
- Departamento de Ecología Genética y Evolución, Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA), CONICET, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gisel V Gigena
- Cátedra de Morfología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - David E Gorla
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Claudia S Rodríguez
- Cátedra de Morfología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Liu XZ, Guo H, Long GJ, Ma YF, Gong LL, Zhang MQ, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, Liu LW, He M, He P. Functional characterization of five developmental signaling network genes in the white-backed planthopper: Potential application for pest management. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 36942746 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) is a major rice pest that exhibits condition dependent wing dimorphisms - a macropterous (long wing) form and a brachypterous (short wing) form. Although, the gene cascade that regulates wing development and dimorphic differentiation has been largely defined, the utility of these genes as targets for pest control has yet to be fully explored. RESULTS Five genes typically associated with the developmental signaling network, armadillo (arm), apterous A (apA), scalloped (sd), dachs (d), and yorkie (yki) were identified from the WBPH genome and their roles in wing development assessed following RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown. At 5 days-post injection, transcript levels for all five targets were substantially decreased compared with the dsGFP control group. Among the treatment groups, those injected with dsSfarm had the most pronounced effects on transcript reduction, mortality (95 ± 3%), and incidence (45 ± 3%) of wing deformities, whereas those injected with dsSfyki had the lowest incidence (6.7 ± 4%). To assess the utility of topical RNAi for Sfarm, we used a spray-based approach that complexed a large-scale, bacteria-based double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) expression pipeline with star polycation (SPc) nanoparticles. Rice seedlings infested with third and fourth instar nymphs were sprayed with SPc-dsRNA formulations and RNAi phenotypic effects were assessed over time. At 2 days post-spray, Sfarm transcript levels decreased by 86 ± 9.5% compared with dsGFP groups, and the subsequent incidences of mortality and wing defects were elevated in the treatment group. CONCLUSIONS This study characterized five genes in the WBPH developmental signaling cascade, assessed their impact on survival and wing development via RNAi, and developed a nanoparticle-dsRNA spray approach for potential field control of WBPH. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuan-Zheng Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, Arizona, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Li-Wei Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyan, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
An image based application in Matlab for automated modelling and morphological analysis of insect wings. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13917. [PMID: 35977980 PMCID: PMC9386019 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17859-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research on the biomechanics of insect wings over the past years, direct mechanical measurements on sensitive wing specimens remain very challenging. This is especially true for examining delicate museum specimens. This has made the finite element method popular in studies of wing biomechanics. Considering the complexities of insect wings, developing a wing model is usually error-prone and time-consuming. Hence, numerical studies in this area have often accompanied oversimplified models. Here we address this challenge by developing a new tool for fast, precise modelling of insect wings. This application, called WingGram, uses computer vision to detect the boundaries of wings and wing cells from a 2D image. The app can be used to develop wing models that include complex venations, corrugations and camber. WingGram can extract geometric features of the wings, including dimensions of the wing domain and subdomains and the location of vein junctions. Allowing researchers to simply model wings with a variety of forms, shapes and sizes, our application can facilitate studies of insect wing morphology and biomechanics. Being an open-access resource, WingGram has a unique application to expand how scientists, educators, and industry professionals analyse insect wings and similar shell structures in other fields, such as aerospace.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bellin N, Calzolari M, Magoga G, Callegari E, Bonilauri P, Lelli D, Dottori M, Montagna M, Rossi V. Unsupervised machine learning and geometric morphometrics as tools for the identification of inter and intraspecific variations in the Anopheles Maculipennis complex. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106585. [PMID: 35787418 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106585] [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: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Geometric morphometric analysis was combined with two different unsupervised machine learning algorithms, UMAP and HDBSCAN, to visualize morphological differences in wing shape among and within four Anopheles sibling species (An. atroparvus, An. melanoon, An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq.) of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy. Specifically, we evaluated: 1) wing shape variation among and within species; 2) the consistencies between groups of An. maculipennis s.s. and An. daciae sp. inq. identified based on COI sequences and wing shape variability; and 3) the spatial and temporal distribution of different morphotypes. UMAP detected at least 13 main patterns of variation in wing shape among the four analyzed species and mapped intraspecific morphological variations. The relationship between the most abundant COI haplotypes of An. daciae sp. inq. and shape ordination/variation was not significant. However, morphological variation within haplotypes was reported. HDBSCAN also recognized different clusters of morphotypes within An. daciae sp. inq. (12) and An. maculipennis s.s. (4). All morphotypes shared a similar pattern of variation in the subcostal vein, in the anal vein and in the radio-medial cross-vein of the wing. On the contrary, the marginal part of the wings remained unchanged in all clusters of both species. Any spatial-temporal significant difference was observed in the frequency of the identified morphotypes. Our study demonstrated that machine learning algorithms are a useful tool combined with geometric morphometrics and suggest to deepen the analysis of inter and intra specific shape variability to evaluate evolutionary constrains related to wing functionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Bellin
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Giulia Magoga
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Callegari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonilauri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Lelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Michele Dottori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna ''B. Ubertini'' (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Montagna
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Rossi
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A 43124 Parma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li H, Nabawy MRA. Wing Planform Effect on the Aerodynamics of Insect Wings. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050459. [PMID: 35621794 PMCID: PMC9145969 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary This study aims to provide an improved understanding of the effect of wing planform shape on the aerodynamic performance of insect flapping wings. We focus our investigation on three planform parameters, namely aspect ratio, radial centroid location, and wing root offset, and their effect on the aerodynamic performance is characterised at a flow Reynolds number most relevant to small insects similar to fruit flies. We show that aspect ratio and root offset mainly influence the flow detachment area near the wingtip, whereas radial centroid location mainly influences the local flow evolution time on the wing surface. Overall, increasing the aspect ratio is beneficial to lift and efficiency up to a limit where flow detachment near the wing tip leads to less-favorable performance. Similarly, increasing the wing root offset leads to an increased flow detachment area near the wing tip, resulting in reduced lift coefficient, but the aerodynamic efficiency remains relatively unaffected by the root offset value for most aspect ratios. Finally, increasing the radial centroid location mainly increases the aerodynamic efficiency. Abstract This study investigates the effect of wing planform shape on the aerodynamic performance of insect wings by numerically solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. We define the wing planforms using a beta-function distribution and employ kinematics representative of normal hovering flight. In particular, we use three primary parameters to describe the planform geometry: aspect ratio, radial centroid location, and wing root offset. The force coefficients, flow structures, and aerodynamic efficiency for different wing planforms at a Reynolds number of 100 are evaluated. It is found that the wing with the lowest aspect ratio of 1.5 results in the highest peaks of lift and drag coefficients during stroke reversals, whereas the higher aspect ratio wings produce higher lift and drag coefficients during mid half-stroke translation. For the wings considered, the leading-edge vortex detachment is found to be approximately at a location that is 3.5–5 mean chord lengths from the wing center of rotation for all aspect ratios and root offsets investigated. Consequently, the detachment area increases with the increase of aspect ratio and root offset, resulting in reduced aerodynamic coefficients. The radial centroid location is found to influence the local flow evolution time, and this results in earlier formation/detachment of the leading-edge vortex for wings with a smaller radial centroid location. Overall, the best performance, when considering both average lift coefficient and efficiency, is found at the intermediate aspect ratios of 4.5–6; increasing the centroid location mainly increases efficiency; and increasing the root offset leads to a decreased average lift coefficient whilst leading to relatively small variations in aerodynamic efficiency for most aspect ratios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK;
| | - Mostafa R. A. Nabawy
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK;
- Aerospace Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Machida WS, Tidon R, Klaczko J. Wing plastic response to temperature variation in two distantly related Neotropical Drosophila species (Diptera, Drosophilidae). CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity has been described for morphological and life-history traits in many organisms. In Drosophila, temperature drives phenotypic change in several traits, but few Neotropical species have been studied and whether the phenotypic variation associated with plasticity is adaptive remains unclear. Here, we studied the phenotypic response to temperature variation in the distantly related Neotropical species Drosophila mercatorum Patterson and Wheeler, 1942 and Drosophila willistoni Sturtevant, 1916. We evaluate if wing shape variation follows that observed in the Neotropical species Drosophila cardini Sturtevant, 1916: round wings at lower temperatures and narrower wings at higher temperatures. The variation in egg–adult development time and in wing size, shape, and allometry was described using reaction norms and geometric morphometrics. In both species, development time and wing size decreased with increasing temperature and wing allometry showed that size explained ≈10% of the shape variation. Wing shape, however, exhibited contrasting responses. At higher temperatures, D. mercatorum developed slightly slender wings, following the pattern previously found for D. cardini, whereas D. willistoni developed plumper and shorter wings, supporting previous studies on Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830. We conclude that all traits studied here were influenced by temperature, and that wing shape seems also to be influenced by phylogeny.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Waira S. Machida
- Graduate Program on Ecology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Rosana Tidon
- Departamento de Genética e Morfologia, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Julia Klaczko
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Aiello BR, Stanchak KE, Weber AI, Deora T, Sponberg S, Brunton BW. Spatial distribution of campaniform sensilla mechanosensors on wings: form, function, and phylogeny. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 48:8-17. [PMID: 34175464 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect wings serve two crucial functions in flight: propulsion and sensing. During flapping flight, complex spatiotemporal patterns of strain on the wing reflect mechanics, kinematics, and external perturbations; sensing wing deformation provides feedback necessary for flight control. Campaniform sensilla distributed across the wing transduce local strain fluctuations into neural signals, so their placement on the wing determines sensory information available to the insect. Thus, understanding the significance of these sensor locations will also reveal how sensing and wing movement are coupled. Here, we identify trends in wing campaniform sensilla placement across flying insects from the literature. We then discuss how these patterns can influence sensory encoding by wing mechanosensors. Finally, we propose combining a comparative approach on model insect clades with computational modeling, leveraging the spectacular natural diversity in wings to uncover biological principles of mechanosensory feedback in flight control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brett R Aiello
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA
| | | | - Alison I Weber
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Tanvi Deora
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332, GA, USA.
| | - Bingni W Brunton
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Engels T, Kolomenskiy D, Lehmann FO. Flight efficiency is a key to diverse wing morphologies in small insects. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210518. [PMID: 34665973 PMCID: PMC8526166 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect wings are hybrid structures that are typically composed of veins and solid membranes. In some of the smallest flying insects, however, the wing membrane is replaced by hair-like bristles attached to a solid root. Bristles and membranous wing surfaces coexist in small but not in large insect species. There is no satisfying explanation for this finding as aerodynamic force production is always smaller in bristled than solid wings. This computational study suggests that the diversity of wing structure in small insects results from aerodynamic efficiency rather than from the requirements to produce elevated forces for flight. The tested wings vary from fully membranous to sparsely bristled and were flapped around a wing root with lift- and drag-based wing kinematic patterns and at different Reynolds numbers (Re). The results show that the decrease in aerodynamic efficiency with decreasing surface solidity is significantly smaller at Re = 4 than Re = 57. A replacement of wing membrane by bristles thus causes less change in energetic costs for flight in small compared to large insects. As a consequence, small insects may fly with bristled and solid wing surfaces at similar efficacy, while larger insects must use membranous wings for an efficient production of flight forces. The above findings are significant for the biological fitness and dispersal of insects that fly at elevated energy expenditures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Engels
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Dmitry Kolomenskiy
- Center for Design, Manufacturing and Materials, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 30 Bolshoi Boulevard, Moscow 121205, Russia
| | - Fritz-Olaf Lehmann
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| |
Collapse
|