Cleanliness is next to godliness: mechanisms for staying clean

Amador, Guillermo J.; Hu, David L.

doi:10.1242/jeb.103937

Cited by 35 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…While beetles lack specialized appendages for grooming, like those found on ants [39] and bees [40], they have been observed to use their mandibles to aid in grooming [4]. Grooming is less desirable than self-cleaning, but it has been found to be an effective technique for cleaning in insects [40,41].…”

Section: Effect Of Particle Size On Self-cleaningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles

Amador¹,

Endlein²,

Sitti³

2017

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Animals using adhesive pads to climb smooth surfaces face the problem of keeping their pads clean and functional. Here, a self-cleaning mechanism is proposed whereby soiled feet would slip on the surface due to a lack of adhesion but shed particles in return. Our study offers an quantification of self-cleaning performance in fibrillar adhesives, using the dock beetle as a model organism. After beetles soiled their pads by stepping into patches of spherical beads, we found that their gait was significantly affected. Specifically, soiled pads slipped 10 times further than clean pads, with more particles deposited for longer slips. Like previous studies, we found that particle size affected cleaning performance. Large (45 μm) beads were removed most effectively, followed by medium (10 μm) and small (1 μm). Consistent with our results from climbing beetles, force measurements on freshly severed legs revealed larger detachment forces of medium particles from adhesive pads compared to a flat surface, possibly due to interlocking between fibres. By contrast, dock leaves showed an overall larger affinity to the beads and thus reduced the need for cleaning. Self-cleaning through slippage provides a mechanism robust to particle size and may inspire solutions for artificial adhesives.

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Section: Effect Of Particle Size On Self-cleaningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles

Amador¹,

Endlein²,

Sitti³

2017

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…Absence of debris in the propodus-dactylus joint on the P1 likely promotes movement in the crustacean's jointed appendages (Vidal-Gadea and Belanger, 2009). An alternative function of all these types of pappose setae is to increase surface area for decoration attachment (Amador and Hu, 2015).…”

Section: Setal Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Setal morphology of grooming appendages in the spider crab, Libinia dubia

Wortham

LaVelle

2016

Journal of Morphology

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In crustaceans, grooming behaviors decrease fouling by removing debris from the exoskeleton and body structures; these grooming behaviors improve respiration, sensory reception, movement, and reproduction. Setal morphologies of the following grooming appendages in the decapod crustacean spider crab Libinia dubia are examined including the first pereiopod (cheliped), first, second, and third maxillipeds (mouthparts), and first, second, and third epipods (internal extensions of the maxillipeds). The objective of this study was to describe setal morphologies of these grooming appendages and to elucidate possible functions and efficiencies of setal structures. Spider crabs are hypothesized to have elaborate setal morphologies, mainly for cleaning specialized decorating setae as well as for cleaning inside the gill chamber, which has a higher likelihood of becoming fouled compared to other decapods such as shrimps. Fourteen setal types are documented and included several varieties of serrate and pappose setae as well as simple setae, cuspidate setae, papposerrate setae, and canoe setae. Maxillipodal epipods in the gill chamber are free of fouling, suggesting the setation on the third maxilliped protopod has an efficient functional morphology in removing debris before water enters the gill chamber. Serrate setae may function for detangling and separating structures whereas pappose setae may function for fine detailed grooming. The cheliped is the only grooming appendage that can reach decorating setae and it contains only pappose setae; thus decorating setae is not likely groomed in a manner that would greatly decrease fouling. J. Morphol. 277:1045-1061, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…Today, house cats can spend up to 24% of their waking time grooming their fur coat (2). Grooming helps the cat to remove pesky fleas, loose hairs, and excess heat (3)(4)(5). In the absence of grooming, excess debris can tangle fur, causing painful tugging of the skin and even infection.…”

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confidence: 99%

Cats use hollow papillae to wick saliva into fur

Noel

2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The cat tongue is covered in sharp, rear-facing spines called papillae, the precise function of which is a mystery. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we use high-speed film, grooming force measurements, and computed tomography (CT) scanning to elucidate the mechanism by which papillae are used to groom fur. We examine the tongues of six species of cats from domestic cat to lion, spanning 30-fold in body weight. The papillae of these cats each feature a hollow cavity at the tip that spontaneously wicks saliva from the mouth and then releases it onto hairs. The unique shape of the cat’s papillae may inspire ways to clean complex hairy surfaces. We demonstrate one such application with the tongue-inspired grooming (TIGR) brush, which incorporates 3D-printed cat papillae into a silicone substrate. The TIGR brush experiences lower grooming forces than a normal hairbrush and is easier to clean.

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Cleanliness is next to godliness: mechanisms for staying clean

Cited by 35 publications

References 80 publications

Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles

Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles

Setal morphology of grooming appendages in the spider crab, Libinia dubia

Cats use hollow papillae to wick saliva into fur

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