A spider’s biological vibration filter: Micromechanical characteristics of a biomaterial surface

Young, Seth L.; Chyasnavichyus, Marius; Erko, Maxim; Barth, Friedrich G.; Fratzl, Peter; Zlotnikov, Igor; Politi, Yael; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2014.07.023

Cited by 49 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…As a tree dwelling insect, C. acinaciformis may adapt its 'vibrational calls' (i.e. feeding activities, alarm [13,17,18]) or modify the response to other cues such as those related to walking or the alarm signal by considering the filter properties of the wood's transfer function [36,53]. Behavioural adaptation to substrate properties is known, e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Key physical wood properties in termite foraging decisions

Oberst

Lai

Evans

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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As eusocial and wood-dwelling insects, termites have been shown to use vibrations to assess their food, to eavesdrop on competitors and predators and to warn nest-mates. Bioassay choice experiments used to determine food preferences in animals often consider single factors only but foraging decisions can be influenced by multiple factors such as the quantity and quality of the food and the wood as a medium for communication. A statistical analysis framework is developed here to design a single bioassay experiment to study multifactorial foraging choice (Pinus radiata) in the basal Australian termite species Coptotermes (C.) acinaciformis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). By employing a correlation analysis, 17 measured physical properties of 1417 Pinus radiata veneer discs were reduced to five key material properties: density, moisture absorption, early wood content, first resonance frequency and damping. By applying a fuzzy c-means clustering technique, these veneer discs were optimally paired for treatment and control trials to study food preference by termites based on these five key material properties. A multifactorial analysis of variance was compared to a permutation analysis of the results indicating for the first time that C. acinaciformis takes into account multiple factors when making foraging decisions. C. acinaciformis prefer denser wood with large early wood content, preferably humid and highly damped. Results presented here have practical implications for food choice experiments and for studies concerned with communication in termites as well as their ecology and coevolution with trees as their major food source.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Key physical wood properties in termite foraging decisions

Oberst

Lai

Evans

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…Optical images were taken using a BX-51 microscope with a Dage-MTI XLM high-resolution cooled digital camera at 50x magnification under darkfield illumination. As described previously [25], due to the irregular shape of our samples and the inherent lack of depth of field associated with optical microscopy, each optical image presented here was digitally enhanced using focus stacking. Many images (>25)…”

Section: Optical Microscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…where is the applied force, is the radius of curvature, is the penetration depth, is Poisson's ratio (chosen to be 0.3 [7,25]), and is the elastic modulus of the outermost surface layers.…”

Section: Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, we have studied in detail the time-and temperature-dependent micromechanical properties of the epicuticular layer covering the metatarsal pad which serves to enhance the response of the vibration sensitive lyriform organ HS10 to high frequency stimuli [17,25]. Additionally, we have analyzed a variety of chitin fibril orientations and sclerotization levels resulting in a wide range of mechanical properties in the subsurface structures of the pad [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Micromechanical properties of strain-sensitive lyriform organs of a wandering spider (Cupiennius salei)

et al. 2016

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Highly sensitive lyriform organs located on the legs of the wandering spider Cupiennius salei allow the spider to detect nanometer-scale strains in the exoskeleton resulting from locomotion or substrate vibrations. Morphological features of the lyriform organs result in their specialization and selective sensitivity to specific mechanical stimuli, which make them an interesting for bioinspired strain sensors. Here we utilize atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based force spectroscopy to probe nano-scale mechanical properties of the covering membrane of two lyriform organs found on Cupiennius salei: the vibration sensitive metatarsal lyriform organ (HS10) and the proprioreceptive tibial lyriform organ (HS8). Force distance curves (FDCs) obtained from AFM measurements displayed characteristic multi-layer structure behavior, with calculated elastic moduli ranging from 150MPa to 500MPa for different regions and indentation depths. The viscoelastic behavior of the sensor materials observed in this probing suggests mechanical relaxation times playing a role in the time-dependent behavior of the lyriform organs.

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“…The pad is pronounced in adults of both sexes, but in 140 the 5 early instars measured, it is small in size (Figure 3). properties being complex and heterogeneous to perform this task (Young et al 2014;Erko et al 2015). 174…”

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Developmental morphology of a lyriform organ in the Western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus)

2016

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General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. The morphology and geometry of the lyriform organ is an important determinant of how it functions 20 and the range of stimuli it can detect. Most work on the morphology, mechanics, and physiology of 21 lyriform organs has been conducted on adult wandering spiders, Cupiennius salei, and little is known 22 about the morphology in other species or juveniles. We examine the morphology of the HS10 lyriform 23 organ in both adult and juvenile Western black widows (Latrodectus hesperus). We find 24 hypoallometric scaling of the lyriform organ, and the size of individual slits when compared to body 25 size. However, the cuticular pad distal to HS10 scales isometrically across successive instars. We also 26 find an increase in the number of slits within the lyriform organ with each moult. Future work should 27 address physiological responses of the organ across development, which could lead to a better 28 understanding of the function of the cuticular pad and stimuli pertinent to the survival of little studied 29 juvenile spiders. 30 31

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A spider’s biological vibration filter: Micromechanical characteristics of a biomaterial surface

Cited by 49 publications

References 33 publications

Key physical wood properties in termite foraging decisions

Key physical wood properties in termite foraging decisions

Micromechanical properties of strain-sensitive lyriform organs of a wandering spider (Cupiennius salei)

Developmental morphology of a lyriform organ in the Western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus)

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