Spinning behaviour and morphology of the spinning glands in male and female Aposthonia ceylonica (Enderlein, 1912) (Embioptera: Oligotomidae)

Edgerly, Janice S.; Büsse, Sebastian; Hörnschemeyer, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.jcz.2011.12.006

Cited by 14 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Since the pioneering works of Rim- sky-Korsakow (1905,1910,1914), several interesting studies of the spinning apparatus in Embioptera have been made (Mukerji, 1927;Barth, 1954;Alberti and Storch, 1976;Nagashima et ah, 1991;Dubitzky and Melzer, 1999), using different approaches (morphological, physiologi¬ cal, and histological). The spinning behavior and properties of silk were also assessed and described by Edgerly et al (2002Edgerly et al ( , 2012 The spinning apparatus is composed of glands in the basal segment of the foretarsus, each gland consisting of a reservoir surrounded by gland tissue that secretes the silk into the reser¬ voir. The secretion is passed through a single duct connected to a silk ejector (modified hollow seta), through which it is released (Nagashima et al, 1991).…”

Section: The Spinning Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of the Tympanal Hearing Organ and Ultrastructure of Chaetotaxy for the Higher Classification of Embioptera

Szumik

Juárez

Ramı́rez

et al. 2019

American Museum Novitates

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Several slowly evolving characters are evaluated with the main objective of reinforcing the higher classification of Embioptera. An embiopteran femoral auditory organ, described here for the first time, exhibits differences in shape and position that provide diagnostic criteria for higher taxonomic groups in the order. New characters on silk ejectors, bladders, and various types of leg setae are also discussed within a taxonomic framework. The utility of these new traits and their different conditions, for identifying monophyletic groups, was tested by a pre¬ liminary phylogenetic analysis.

show abstract

Section: The Spinning Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of the Tympanal Hearing Organ and Ultrastructure of Chaetotaxy for the Higher Classification of Embioptera

Szumik

Juárez

Ramı́rez

et al. 2019

American Museum Novitates

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Generally, most species construct a domicile of thick silk connected to food by more diffuse galleries – sometimes camouflaged with gathered materials, sometimes constructed with clean silk (Ross, ; Edgerly et al ., ). Particular questions emerged from a recent study that revealed that individual female and male Aposthonia ceylonica (Enderlein) (Oligotomidae) exhibited spin‐steps in an apparently species‐specific manner (Edgerly et al ., ). An evaluation of individuals in three other species chosen to serve as comparisons for Ap.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Our current goal is to determine whether silk spinning diversity can be quantified, scored, and used to understand embiopteran evolution. Previous work on a few species revealed what appear to be stereotypical behaviours (Edgerly, Davilla & Schoenfeld, ; Edgerly, Büsse & Hörnschemeyer, ), providing a foundation for a broader sampling of taxa as we seek to answer our research questions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Choreography of silk spinning by webspinners (Insecta: Embioptera) reflects lifestyle and hints at phylogeny

McMillan

Hohu

Edgerly

2016

Biol. J. Linn. Soc.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Silk spinning defines the morphologically constrained embiopterans. All individuals spin for protection, including immatures, adult males and the wingless females. Enlarged front tarsi are packed with silk glands and clothed with ejectors. They spin by stepping with their front feet and releasing silk against substrates and onto preexisting silk, often cloth-like. Spinning is stereotypical and appears to differ between species in frequency and probability of transition between two spin-step positions. This spinning choreography was assessed using thousands of spin-steps scored in the laboratory for 22 species to test: (1) the body size hypothesis predicting that spinning would be more complex for larger species; and (2) the phylogeny hypothesis which predicted that spinning would display phylogenetic signal. Tests relied on published phylogenies for the order Embioptera. Independent contrast analysis revealed relationships between five spin characteristics and body size, whereby, for example, larger webspinners invested in relatively larger prothoracic tarsi used for spinning and in spin-steps that would yield expansive silk coverings. Spin-step dynamics displayed a phylogenetic signal for the frequency of six spin-steps and for 16 spin-step transitions. Discussion focuses on patterns revealed by analysis of phylogenetic signal and the relationship to life style and to recently discovered chemical characteristics of silk.

show abstract

“…1 They step around the head and body as silk issues forth from multiple silk ejectors (for examples of spin step kinematics see Edgerly et al , 2012). 3 Immatures, as well as adults, spin silk into domiciles that serve as retreats and egg chambers and into covered route-ways that lead to food. The two focal species in this study, Antipaluria urichi (Family Clothodidae) and Aposthonia ceylonica (Family Oligotomidae), are arboreal and tropical, living on tree bark where they graze on epiphytic algae and lichens within the relative safety of the silk (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural characterization of nanofiber silk produced by embiopterans (webspinners)

et al. 2014

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Embiopterans produce silken galleries and sheets using exceptionally fine silk fibers in which they live and breed. In this study, we use electron microscopy (EM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) techniques to elucidate the molecular level protein structure of webspinner (embiid) silks. Silks from two species Antipaluria urichi and Aposthonia ceylonica are studied in this work. Electron microscopy images show that the fibers are about 90–100 nm in diameter, making webspinner silks among the finest of all known animal silks. Structural studies reveal that the silk protein core is dominated by β-sheet structures, and that the protein core is coated with a hydrophobic alkane-rich surface coating. FTIR spectra of native embiid silk shows characteristic alkane CH2 stretchings near 2800–2900 cm−1, which decrease approximately 50% after washing the silk with 2 : 1 CHCl3 : MeOH. Furthermore, 13C ssNMR data shows a significant CH2 resonance that is strongly affected by the presence of water, supporting the idea that the silk fibers are coated with a hydrocarbon-rich layer. Such a layer is likely used to protect the colonies from rain. FTIR data also suggests that embiid silks are dominated by β-sheet secondary structures similar to spider and silkworm silk fibers. NMR data confirms the presence of β-sheet nanostructures dominated by serine-rich repetitive regions. A deconvolution of the serine Cβ NMR resonance reveals that approximately 70% of all seryl residues exist in a β-sheet structure. This is consistent with WAXD results that suggest webspinner silks are 70% crystalline, which is the highest crystalline fraction reported for any animal silks. The work presented here provides a molecular level structural picture of silk fibers produced by webspinners.

show abstract

Spinning behaviour and morphology of the spinning glands in male and female Aposthonia ceylonica (Enderlein, 1912) (Embioptera: Oligotomidae)

Cited by 14 publications

References 26 publications

Implications of the Tympanal Hearing Organ and Ultrastructure of Chaetotaxy for the Higher Classification of Embioptera

Implications of the Tympanal Hearing Organ and Ultrastructure of Chaetotaxy for the Higher Classification of Embioptera

Choreography of silk spinning by webspinners (Insecta: Embioptera) reflects lifestyle and hints at phylogeny

Structural characterization of nanofiber silk produced by embiopterans (webspinners)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About