1
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Agrawal K, Prabhakar S, Bakthavachalu B, Chaturvedi D. Distinct developmental patterns in Anopheles stephensi organ systems. Dev Biol 2024; 508:107-122. [PMID: 38272285 PMCID: PMC7615899 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Anatomical profiles of insects inform vector biology, comparative development and evolutionary studies with applications in forensics, agriculture and disease control. This study presents a comprehensive, high-resolution developmental profile of Anopheles stephensi, encompassing larval, pupal, and adult stages, obtained through microCT scanning. The results indicate in situ anatomical changes in most organ systems, including the central nervous system, eyes, musculature, alimentary canal, salivary glands, and ovaries, among other organ systems, except for the developing heart. We find significant differences in the mosquito gut, body-wall, and flight muscle development during metamorphosis from other dipterans like Drosophila. Specifically, indirect flight muscle specification and growth can be traced back at least to the 4th instar A. stephensi larvae, as opposed to post-puparial development in other Dipterans like Drosophila and Calliphora. Further, while Drosophila larval body-wall muscles and gut undergo histolysis, changes to these organs during mosquito metamorphosis are less pronounced. These observations, and raw data therein may serve as a reference for studies on the development and the genetics of mosquitoes. Overall, the detailed developmental profile of A. stephensi presented here illuminates the unique anatomy and developmental processes of Culicidae, with important implications for vector biology, disease control, and comparative evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Agrawal
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India; School of Biotechnology, Amrita University, Kollam, 690525, Kerala, India
| | - Sunil Prabhakar
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India
| | - Baskar Bakthavachalu
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India; School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, 175005, India.
| | - Dhananjay Chaturvedi
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, 560065, India; CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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2
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Cribellier A, Camilo LH, Goyal P, Muijres FT. Mosquitoes escape looming threats by actively flying with the bow wave induced by the attacker. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1194-1205.e7. [PMID: 38367617 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
To detect and escape looming threats, night-flying insects must rely on other senses than vision alone. Nocturnal mosquitoes can evade looming objects in the dark, but how they achieve this is still unknown. Here, we show how night-active female malaria mosquitoes escape from rapidly looming objects that simulate defensive actions of blood-hosts. First, we quantified the escape performance of flying mosquitoes from an event-triggered mechanical swatter, showing that mosquitoes use swatter-induced airflow to increase their escape success. Secondly, we used high-speed videography and deep-learning-based tracking to analyze escape flights in detail, showing that mosquitoes use banked turns to evade the threat. By combining escape kinematics data with numerical simulations of attacker-induced airflow and a mechanistic movement model, we unraveled how mosquitoes control these banked evasive maneuvers: they actively steer away from the danger, and then passively travel with the bow wave produced by the attacker. Our results demonstrate that night-flying mosquitoes can detect looming objects when visual cues are minimal, suggesting that they use attacker-induced airflow both to detect the danger and as a fluid medium to move with away from the threat. This shows that escape strategies of flying insects are more complex than previous visually induced escape flight studies suggest. As most insects are of similar or smaller sizes than mosquitoes, comparable escape strategies are expected among millions of flying insect species. The here-observed escape maneuvers are distinct from those of mosquitoes escaping from odor-baited traps, thus providing new insights for the development of novel trapping techniques for integrative vector management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Cribellier
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Leonardo Honfi Camilo
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Pulkit Goyal
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
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3
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Maya R, Lerner N, Ben-Dov O, Pons A, Beatus T. A hull reconstruction-reprojection method for pose estimation of free-flying fruit flies. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245853. [PMID: 37795876 PMCID: PMC10629692 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245853] [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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of insect flight requires high-quality data of free-flight kinematics, e.g. for comparative studies or genetic screens. Although recent improvements in high-speed videography allow us to acquire large amounts of free-flight data, a significant bottleneck is automatically extracting accurate body and wing kinematics. Here, we present an experimental system and a hull reconstruction-reprojection algorithm for measuring the flight kinematics of fruit flies. The experimental system can automatically record hundreds of flight events per day. Our algorithm resolves a significant portion of the occlusions in this system by a reconstruction-reprojection scheme that integrates information from all cameras. Wing and body kinematics, including wing deformation, are then extracted from the hulls of the wing boundaries and body. This model-free method is fully automatic, accurate and open source, and can be readily adjusted for different camera configurations or insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Maya
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Noam Lerner
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Omri Ben-Dov
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Arion Pons
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tsevi Beatus
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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4
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Salem W, Cellini B, Jaworski E, Mongeau JM. Flies adaptively control flight to compensate for added inertia. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231115. [PMID: 37817597 PMCID: PMC10565401 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1115] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal locomotion is highly adaptive, displaying a large degree of flexibility, yet how this flexibility arises from the integration of mechanics and neural control remains elusive. For instance, animals require flexible strategies to maintain performance as changes in mass or inertia impact stability. Compensatory strategies to mechanical loading are especially critical for animals that rely on flight for survival. To shed light on the capacity and flexibility of flight neuromechanics to mechanical loading, we pushed the performance of fruit flies (Drosophila) near its limit and implemented a control theoretic framework. Flies with added inertia were placed inside a virtual reality arena which permitted free rotation about the vertical (yaw) axis. Adding inertia increased the fly's response time yet had little influence on overall gaze stabilization performance. Flies maintained stability following the addition of inertia by adaptively modulating both visuomotor gain and damping. By contrast, mathematical modelling predicted a significant decrease in gaze stabilization performance. Adding inertia altered saccades, however, flies compensated for the added inertia by increasing saccade torque. Taken together, in response to added inertia flies increase reaction time but maintain flight performance through adaptive neural control. Overall, adding inertia decreases closed-loop flight robustness. Our work highlights the flexibility and capacity of motor control in flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Salem
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin Cellini
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Eric Jaworski
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Jean-Michel Mongeau
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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5
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Muijres FT. Quantifying and Analyzing Mosquito Movement from Video Tracking Results. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:127-129. [PMID: 36167676 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
After tracking the kinematics of a moving mosquito from video, one needs to convert the tracking output into the kinematics data needed to answer the research question. Here, we provide general guidelines for how to do this by discussing how to quantify body position and orientation in the world reference frame and wing and leg orientation in the mosquito body reference frame. These guidelines should be adapted based on the goal of your research. To answer your research question, the resulting kinematics data must then be further analyzed. Because the nature of this analysis depends strongly on your specific research question, we refer to literature for designing these postprocessing routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian T Muijres
- Department of Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
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6
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Dickerson AK, Muijres FT, Pieters R. Using Videography to Study the Biomechanics and Behavior of Freely Moving Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:84-89. [PMID: 36167673 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Female mosquitoes of most species require a blood meal for egg development. When biting a human host to collect this blood meal, they can spread dangerous diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, or dengue. Researchers use videography to study many aspects of mosquito behavior, including in-flight host-seeking, takeoff, and landing behaviors, as well as probing and blood feeding, and more. Here, we introduce protocols on how to use videography to capture and analyze mosquito movements at high spatial and temporal resolution, in two and three dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Department of Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Remco Pieters
- Department of Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
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7
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Wynne NE, Chandrasegaran K, Fryzlewicz L, Vinauger C. Visual threats reduce blood-feeding and trigger escape responses in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21354. [PMID: 36494463 PMCID: PMC9734121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25461-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The diurnal mosquitoes Aedes aegypti are vectors of several arboviruses, including dengue, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. To find a host to feed on, they rely on the sophisticated integration of olfactory, visual, thermal, and gustatory cues emitted by the hosts. If detected by their target, this latter may display defensive behaviors that mosquitoes need to be able to detect and escape in order to survive. In humans, a typical response is a swat of the hand, which generates both mechanical and visual perturbations aimed at a mosquito. Here, we used programmable visual displays to generate expanding objects sharing characteristics with the visual component of an approaching hand and quantified the behavioral response of female mosquitoes. Results show that Ae. aegypti is capable of using visual information to decide whether to feed on an artificial host mimic. Stimulations delivered in a LED flight arena further reveal that landed Ae. aegypti females display a stereotypical escape strategy by taking off at an angle that is a function of the direction of stimulus introduction. Altogether, this study demonstrates that mosquitoes landed on a host mimic can use isolated visual cues to detect and avoid a potential threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E. Wynne
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Lauren Fryzlewicz
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Clément Vinauger
- grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA ,grid.438526.e0000 0001 0694 4940Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
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8
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Ben-Dov O, Beatus T. Model-Based Tracking of Fruit Flies in Free Flight. INSECTS 2022; 13:1018. [PMID: 36354842 PMCID: PMC9692569 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Insect flight is a complex interdisciplinary phenomenon. Understanding its multiple aspects, such as flight control, sensory integration, physiology and genetics, often requires the analysis of large amounts of free flight kinematic data. Yet, one of the main bottlenecks in this field is automatically and accurately extracting such data from multi-view videos. Here, we present a model-based method for the pose estimation of free-flying fruit flies from multi-view high-speed videos. To obtain a faithful representation of the fly with minimum free parameters, our method uses a 3D model that includes two new aspects of wing deformation: A non-fixed wing hinge and a twisting wing surface. The method is demonstrated for free and perturbed flight. Our method does not use prior assumptions on the kinematics apart from the continuity of the wing pitch angle. Hence, this method can be readily adjusted for other insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omri Ben-Dov
- The Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tsevi Beatus
- The Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- Center of Bioengineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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9
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Dou Z, Madan A, Carlson JS, Chung J, Spoleti T, Dimopoulos G, Cammarato A, Mittal R. Acoustotactic response of mosquitoes in untethered flight to incidental sound. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1884. [PMID: 33479423 PMCID: PMC7820424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81456-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors for some of the most devastating diseases on the planet. Given the centrality of acoustic sensing in the precopulatory behavior of these vectors, the use of an exogenous acoustic stimulus offers the potential of interfering with the courtship behavior of these insects. Previous research on the acoustotactic response of mosquitoes has been conducted on tethered preparations using low-intensity sound stimuli. To quantify differences in acoustotactic responses between mosquitos of distinct sex and species, we examined the effects of incidental sound stimuli on the flight behavior of free-flying male vs. female Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. The key variables were sound frequency (100–1000 Hz) and intensity (67–103 dB, measured at 12.5 cm from the source), and the acoustotactic response was measured in terms of the relative increase in flight speed in response to the stimulus. The data show, for the first time, significant sex- and species-specific differences in acoustotactic responses. A. aegypti exhibited a greater response to sound stimulus compared to An. gambiae, and the response also extended over a larger range of frequencies. Furthermore, the males of both species displayed a greater acoustotactic response than females, with An. gambiae females exhibiting minimal response to sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwang Dou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aditi Madan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jenny S Carlson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tyler Spoleti
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anthony Cammarato
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rajat Mittal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Yarger AM, Jordan KA, Smith AJ, Fox JL. Takeoff diversity in Diptera. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202375. [PMID: 33434467 PMCID: PMC7892408 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The order Diptera (true flies) are named for their two wings because their hindwings have evolved into specialized mechanosensory organs called halteres. Flies use halteres to detect body rotations and maintain stability during flight and other behaviours. The most recently diverged dipteran monophyletic subsection, the Calyptratae, is highly successful, accounting for approximately 12% of dipteran diversity, and includes common families like house flies. These flies move their halteres independently from their wings and oscillate their halteres during walking. Here, we demonstrate that this subsection of flies uses their halteres to stabilize their bodies during takeoff, whereas non-Calyptratae flies do not. We find that flies of the Calyptratae are able to take off more rapidly than non-Calyptratae flies without sacrificing stability. Haltere removal decreased both velocity and stability in the takeoffs of Calyptratae, but not other flies. The loss of takeoff velocity following haltere removal in Calyptratae (but not other flies) is a direct result of a decrease in leg extension speed. A closely related non-Calyptratae species (D. melanogaster) also has a rapid takeoff, but takeoff duration and stability are unaffected by haltere removal. Haltere use thus allows for greater speed and stability during fast escapes, but only in the Calyptratae clade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jessica L. Fox
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7080, USA
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11
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Baek M, Lawin KM, Codden CJ, Lim H, Yang E, Kim HY, Lee SI, Jablonski PG. Water strider females use individual experience to adjust jumping behaviour to their weight within physical constraints of water surface tension. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18657. [PMID: 33122643 PMCID: PMC7596521 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75564-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Different species of water striders match leg speeds to their body sizes to maximize their jump take off velocity without breaking the water surface, which might have aided evolution of leg structures optimized for exploitation of the water surface tension. It is not understood how water striders achieve this match. Can individuals modify their leg movements based on their body mass and locomotor experience? Here we tested if water striders, Gerris latiabdominis, adjust jumping behaviour based on their personal experience and how an experimentally added body weight affects this process. Females, but not males, modified their jumping behaviour in weight-dependent manner, but only when they experienced frequent jumping. They did so within the environmental constraint set by the physics of water surface tension. Females' ability to adjust jumping may represent their adaptation to frequent increases or decreases of the weight that they support as mating bouts, during which males ride on top of females, start or end, respectively. This suggests that natural selection for optimized biomechanics combined with sexual selection for mating adaptations shapes this ability to optimally exploit water surface tension, which might have aided adaptive radiation of Gerromorpha into a diversity of semiaquatic niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjung Baek
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Katherine M Lawin
- University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55105, USA
| | | | - Hangkyo Lim
- University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55105, USA
- Notre Dame of Maryland University, 4701 North Charles St, Baltimore, MD, 21210, USA
| | - Eunjin Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
- Institute of Advanced Machines and Design, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Ho-Young Kim
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
- Institute of Advanced Machines and Design, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
| | - Sang-Im Lee
- Laboratory of Integrative Animal Ecology (IAE), Department of New Biology, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, 42988, Korea.
| | - Piotr G Jablonski
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
- Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS, Wilcza 64, 00-679, Warsaw, Poland.
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12
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Gaviraghi A, Oliveira MF. A simple and reliable method for longitudinal assessment of untethered mosquito induced flight activity. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 126:104098. [PMID: 32798499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti adult females are key vectors of several arboviruses and flight activity plays a central role in mosquito biology and disease transmission. Available methods to quantify mosquito flight usually require special devices and mostly assess spontaneous locomotor activity at individual level. Here, we developed a new method to determine longitudinal untethered adult A. aegypti induced flight activity: the INduced FLight Activity TEst (INFLATE). This method was an adaptation of the "rapid iterative negative geotaxis" assay to assess locomotor activity in Drosophila and explore the spontaneous behavior of mosquitoes to fly following a physical stimulus. Insects were placed on a plastic cage previously divided in four vertical quadrants and flight performance was carried out by tapping cages towards the laboratory bench. After one minute, the number of insects per quadrant was registered by visual inspection and categorized in five different scores. By using INFLATE, we observed that flight performance was not influenced by repeated testing, sex or 5% ethanol intake. However, induced flight activity was strongly affected by aging, blood meal and inhibition of mitochondrial complex I. This simple and rapid method allows the longitudinal assessment of induced flight activity of multiple untethered mosquitoes and may contribute to a better understanding of A. aegypti dispersal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gaviraghi
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcus F Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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13
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Smith NM, Balsalobre JB, Doshi M, Willenberg BJ, Dickerson AK. Landing mosquitoes bounce when engaging a substrate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15744. [PMID: 32978447 PMCID: PMC7519040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this experimental study we film the landings of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to characterize landing behaviors and kinetics, limitations, and the passive physiological mechanics they employ to land on a vertical surface. A typical landing involves 1-2 bounces, reducing inbound momentum by more than half before the mosquito firmly attaches to a surface. Mosquitoes initially approach landing surfaces at 0.1-0.6 m/s, decelerating to zero velocity in approximately 5 ms at accelerations as high as 5.5 gravities. Unlike Dipteran relatives, mosquitoes do not visibly prepare for landing with leg adjustments or body pitching. Instead mosquitoes rely on damping by deforming two forelimbs and buckling of the proboscis, which also serves to distribute the impact force, lessening the potential of detection by a mammalian host. The rebound response of a landing mosquito is well-characterized by a passive mass-spring-damper model which permits the calculation of force across impact velocity. The landing force of the average mosquito in our study is approximately 40 [Formula: see text]N corresponding to an impact velocity of 0.24 m/s. The substrate contact velocity which produces a force perceptible to humans, 0.42 m/s, is above 85% of experimentally observed landing speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Smith
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Jasmine B Balsalobre
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Mona Doshi
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Bradley J Willenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Andrew K Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
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14
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Iikura H, Takizawa H, Ozawa S, Nakagawa T, Matsui Y, Nambu H. Mosquito repellence induced by tarsal contact with hydrophobic liquids. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14480. [PMID: 32879341 PMCID: PMC7468126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71406-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito legs have a unique highly water-repellent surface structure. While being beneficial to mosquitoes, the water-repellence of the tarsi enhances the wettability of hydrophobic substances such as oils. This high wettability induces strong attraction forces on a mosquito’s legs (up to 87% of the mosquito’s weight) towards the oil. We studied the landing behaviour of mosquitoes on oil-coated surfaces and observed that the mosquito contact time was reduced compared to that on hydrophilic-liquid-coated surfaces, suggesting that the oil coating induces an escape response. The observed escape behaviour occurred consistently with several hydrophobic liquids, including silicone oil, which is used globally in personal care products. As the repellent effect is similar to multiple hydrophobic substances, it is likely to be mechanically stimulated owing to the physical properties of the hydrophobic liquids and not due to chemical interactions. On human skin, the contact time was sufficiently short to prevent mosquitoes from starting to blood-feed. The secretion of Hippopotamus amphibius, which has physical properties similar to those of low-viscosity silicone oil, also triggered an escape response, suggesting that it acts as a natural mosquito repellent. Our results are beneficial to develop new, safe, and effective mosquito-repellent technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Iikura
- Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan. .,Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Takizawa
- Personal Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ozawa
- Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan
| | - Takao Nakagawa
- Personal Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Matsui
- Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan.,Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan
| | - Hiromi Nambu
- Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan.,Material Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan
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15
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Li Y, Wang K, Quintero-Torres R, Brick R, Sokolov AV, Scully MO. Insect flight velocity measurement with a CW near-IR Scheimpflug lidar system. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:21891-21902. [PMID: 32752461 DOI: 10.1364/oe.394992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Flight velocity measurement is an important aspect of insect research that can aid insect identification and facilitate studies and monitoring of insect movements. We propose a novel scheme for the 1-D flight velocity measurement of insects, based on a near-IR Scheimpflug lidar system. We implement this new technique and apply it to study insects at the Salter Research Farm, Robertson County, Texas. The resolution property perpendicular to the probing direction of the Scheimpflug lidar system is explored and reveals the capability of retrieving the velocity component normal to the probing direction of insects passing through the field of view of our system. We observe a shift in wingbeat frequency, which indicates the presence of new insect species during the multi-day measurement. The study on 1-D flight velocity reveals a net directional movement of insects, providing supportive evidence of the arrival of a new species.
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16
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Nakata T, Phillips N, Simões P, Russell IJ, Cheney JA, Walker SM, Bomphrey RJ. Aerodynamic imaging by mosquitoes inspires a surface detector for autonomous flying vehicles. Science 2020; 368:634-637. [PMID: 32381721 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz9634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Some flying animals use active sensing to perceive and avoid obstacles. Nocturnal mosquitoes exhibit a behavioral response to divert away from surfaces when vision is unavailable, indicating a short-range, mechanosensory collision-avoidance mechanism. We suggest that this behavior is mediated by perceiving modulations of their self-induced airflow patterns as they enter a ground or wall effect. We used computational fluid dynamics simulations of low-altitude and near-wall flights based on in vivo high-speed kinematic measurements to quantify changes in the self-generated pressure and velocity cues at the sensitive mechanosensory antennae. We validated the principle that encoding aerodynamic information can enable collision avoidance by developing a quadcopter with a sensory system inspired by the mosquito. Such low-power sensing systems have major potential for future use in safer rotorcraft control systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiyuki Nakata
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Nathan Phillips
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Patrício Simões
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Jorn A Cheney
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Simon M Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Richard J Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
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17
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van Veen WG, van Leeuwen JL, Muijres FT. Malaria mosquitoes use leg push-off forces to control body pitch during take-off. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 333:38-49. [PMID: 31403265 PMCID: PMC6916183 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Escaping from a blood host with freshly acquired nutrition for her eggs is one of the most critical actions in the life of a female malaria mosquito. During this take-off, she has to carry a large payload, up to three times her body weight, while avoiding tactile detection by the host. What separates the malaria mosquito from most other insects is that the mosquito pushes off gently with its legs while producing aerodynamic forces with its wings. Apart from generating the required forces, the malaria mosquito has to produce the correct torques to pitch-up during take-off. Furthermore, the fed mosquito has to alter the direction of its aerodynamic force vector to compensate for the higher body pitch angle due to its heavier abdomen. Whether the mosquito generates these torques and redirection of the forces with its wings or legs remains unknown. By combining rigid-body inverse dynamics analyses with computational fluid dynamics simulations, we show that mosquitoes use leg push-off to control pitch torques and that the adaption of the aerodynamic force direction is synchronized with modulations in force magnitude. These results suggest that during the push-off phase of a take-off, mosquitoes use their flight apparatus primarily as a motor system and they use leg push-off forces for control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter G van Veen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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18
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van Veen WG, van Leeuwen JL, Muijres FT. A chordwise offset of the wing-pitch axis enhances rotational aerodynamic forces on insect wings: a numerical study. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190118. [PMID: 31213176 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most flying animals produce aerodynamic forces by flapping their wings back and forth with a complex wingbeat pattern. The fluid dynamics that underlies this motion has been divided into separate aerodynamic mechanisms of which rotational lift, that results from fast wing pitch rotations, is particularly important for flight control and manoeuvrability. This rotational force mechanism has been modelled using Kutta-Joukowski theory, which combines the forward stroke motion of the wing with the fast pitch motion to compute forces. Recent studies, however, suggest that hovering insects can produce rotational forces at stroke reversal, without a forward motion of the wing. We have conducted a broad numerical parametric study over a range of wing morphologies and wing kinematics to show that rotational force production depends on two mechanisms: (i) conventional Kutta-Joukowski-based rotational forces and (ii) a rotational force mechanism that enables insects with an offset of the pitch axis relative to the wing's chordwise symmetry axis to generate rotational forces in the absence of forward wing motion. Because flying animals produce control actions frequently near stroke reversal, this pitch-axis-offset dependent aerodynamic mechanism may be particularly important for understanding control and manoeuvrability in natural flyers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter G van Veen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
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19
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Burrows M, Ghosh A, Yeshwanth HM, Dorosenko M, Sane SP. Effectiveness and efficiency of two distinct mechanisms for take-off in a derbid planthopper insect. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.191494. [PMID: 30446544 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.191494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of the kinematics of take-off in the planthopper Proutista moesta (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, family Derbidae) from high-speed videos showed that these insects used two distinct mechanisms involving different appendages. The first was a fast take-off (55.7% of 106 take-offs by 11 insects) propelled by a synchronised movement of the two hind legs and without participation of the wings. The body was accelerated in 1 ms or less to a mean take-off velocity of 1.7 m s-1 while experiencing average forces of more than 150 times gravity. The power required from the leg muscles implicated a power-amplification mechanism. Such take-offs propelled the insect along its trajectory a mean distance of 7.9 mm in the first 5 ms after take-off. The second and slower take-off mechanism (44.3% of take-offs) was powered by beating movements of the wings alone, with no discernible contribution from the hind legs. The resulting mean acceleration time was 16 times slower at 17.3 ms, the mean final velocity was six times lower at 0.27 m s-1, the g forces experienced were 80 times lower and the distance moved in 5 ms after take-off was 7 times shorter. The power requirements could be readily met by direct muscle contraction. The results suggest a testable hypothesis that the two mechanisms serve distinct behavioural actions: the fast take-offs could enable escape from predators and the slow take-offs that exert much lower ground reaction forces could enable take-off from more flexible substrates while also displacing the insect in a slower and more controllable trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm Burrows
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 065, India .,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Abin Ghosh
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 065, India
| | - H M Yeshwanth
- Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK (Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra), Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - Marina Dorosenko
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Sanjay P Sane
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 065, India
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20
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Ortega-Jiménez VM, Dudley R. Ascending flight and decelerating vertical glides in Anna's hummingbirds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.191171. [PMID: 30355613 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.191171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hummingbirds are observationally well known for their capacity to vertically ascend whilst hovering, but the underlying mechanics and possible energetic limits to ascent rates are unclear. Decelerations during vertical ascent to a fixed target may also be associated with specific visual responses to regulate the body's trajectory. Here, we studied climbing flight and subsequent deceleration in male Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) over an approximately 2 m vertical distance. Birds reached vertical speeds and accelerations up to ∼4 m s-1 and 10 m s-2, respectively, through the use of flapping frequencies as high as 56 Hz and stroke amplitudes slightly greater than 180 deg. Total mass-specific power at maximal ascent speed was up to 92 W kg-1 body mass. Near the end of the ascending trajectory, all individuals decelerated ballistically via cessation of flapping and folding of wings over the body without losing control, a behavior termed here a vertical glide. Visual modulation of the deceleration trajectory during ascent was indicated by a constant value (∼0.75) for the first derivative of the time-to-contact to target. Our results indicate that hummingbirds in rapid vertical ascent expended near-maximal power output during flight, but also tightly controlled their subsequent deceleration during the vertical glide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
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21
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Smith NM, Clayton GV, Khan HA, Dickerson AK. Mosquitoes modulate leg dynamics at takeoff to accommodate surface roughness. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2018; 14:016007. [PMID: 30479315 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aaed87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Insects perform takeoffs from a nearly unquantifiable number of surface permutations and many use their legs to initiate upward movement prior to the onset of wingbeats, including the mosquito. In this study we examine the unprovoked pre-takeoff mechanics of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from two surfaces of contrasting roughness, one with roughness similar to polished glass and the other comparable to the human forearm. Using high-speed videography, we find mosquitos exhibit two distinct leg actions prior to takeoff, the widely observed push and a previously undocumented leg-strike, where one of the rearmost legs is raised and strikes the ground. Across 106 takeoff sequences we observe a greater incidence of leg-strikes from the smoother surface, and rationalize this observation by comparing the characteristic size of surface features on the mosquito tarsi and each test surface. Measurements of pre-takeoff kinematics reveal both strategies remain under the mechanosensory detection threshold of mammalian hair and produce nearly identical vertical body velocities. Lastly, we develop a model that explicates the measured leg velocity of striking legs utilized by mosquitoes, 0.59 m s-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Smith
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, United States of America
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22
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Davidovich H, Ribak G. Loaded flight in male Ischnura elegans and its relationship to copulatory flight. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 110:44-56. [PMID: 30176246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Copulation in the blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans) can last several hours, during which the pair may fly together in the 'wheel position' with both insects flapping their wings. Previous studies have suggested that during flight in copula, the male increases its power output while the female decreases it. Consequently, the male must support some of the female's body weight in the air. We tested the hypothesis that female body mass places a biomechanical constraint on the ability of smaller males to mate with larger females by attaching weights to male damselflies and analyzing their wing motion and force exerted using high-speed cameras. Males flying with an added load exerted extra forces equivalent to 157% of their body weight. Males flying in the mating wheel position with females whose wings were clipped bore a similar weight and were barely able to fly. To fly with an added load, males increased their wing-flapping frequency and amplitude, reaching values of mean wing tip flapping speed that were 1.9-fold higher than that in solitary flight. Our experiments indicate that although males would be able to fly briefly with the added weight of a non-responsive female, the flight performance of the pair would be severely compromised without the female contributing effort to the joint flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilla Davidovich
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Gal Ribak
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, POB 39040, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
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23
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Experimental Study of the Aerodynamic Interaction between the Forewing and Hindwing of a Beetle-Type Ornithopter. AEROSPACE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/aerospace5030083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Beetles have attracted attention from researchers due to their unique combination of a passively flapping forewing and an actively flapping hindwing during flight. Because the wing loads of beetles are larger than the wing loads of other insects, the mechanism of beetle flight is potentially useful for modeling a small aircraft with a large weight. In this paper, we present a beetle-type ornithopter in which the wings are geometrically and kinematically modeled after an actual beetle. Furthermore, the forewing is designed to be changeable between no-wing, flapping-wing, or fixed-wing configurations. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) differential pressure sensors were attached to both the forewing and the hindwing to evaluate the aerodynamic performance during flight. Whether the forewing is configured as a flapping wing or a fixed wing, it generated constant positive differential pressure during forward flight, whereas the differential pressure on the hindwing varied with the flapping motion during forward flight. The experimental results suggest that beetles utilize the forewing for effective vertical force enhancement.
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24
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Cribellier A, van Erp JA, Hiscox A, Lankheet MJ, van Leeuwen JL, Spitzen J, Muijres FT. Flight behaviour of malaria mosquitoes around odour-baited traps: capture and escape dynamics. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:180246. [PMID: 30225014 PMCID: PMC6124112 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Host-seeking mosquitoes rely on a range of sensory cues to find and approach blood hosts, as well as to avoid host detection. By using odour blends and visual cues that attract anthropophilic mosquitoes, odour-baited traps have been developed to monitor and control human pathogen-transmitting vectors. Although long-range attraction of such traps has already been studied thoroughly, close-range response of mosquitoes to these traps has been largely ignored. Here, we studied the flight behaviour of female malaria mosquitoes (Anopheles coluzzii) in the immediate vicinity of a commercially available odour-baited trap, positioned in a hanging and standing orientation. By analysing more than 2500 three-dimensional flight tracks, we elucidated how mosquitoes reacted to the trap, and how this led to capture. The measured flight dynamics revealed two distinct stereotypical behaviours: (i) mosquitoes that approached a trap tended to simultaneously fly downward towards the ground; (ii) mosquitoes that came close to a trap changed their flight direction by rapidly accelerating upward. The combination of these behaviours led to strikingly different flight patterns and capture dynamics, resulting in contrasting short-range attractiveness and capture mechanism of the oppositely oriented traps. These new insights may help in improving odour-baited traps, and consequently their contribution in global vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Cribellier
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jens A. van Erp
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Hiscox
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin J. Lankheet
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jeroen Spitzen
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian T. Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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25
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Spitzen J, Takken W. Keeping track of mosquitoes: a review of tools to track, record and analyse mosquito flight. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:123. [PMID: 29499744 PMCID: PMC5834890 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2735-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The health impact of mosquito-borne diseases causes a huge burden on human societies. Recent vector control campaigns have resulted in promising declines in incidence and prevalence of these diseases, notably malaria, but resistance to insecticides and drugs are on the rise, threatening to overturn these gains. Moreover, several vector-borne diseases have re-emerged, requiring prompt and effective response measures. To improve and properly implement vector control interventions, the behaviour of the vectors must be well understood with detailed examination of mosquito flight being an essential component. Current knowledge on mosquito behaviour across its life history is briefly presented, followed by an overview of recent developments in automated tracking techniques for detailed interpretation of mosquito behaviour. These techniques allow highly accurate recording and observation of mating, feeding and oviposition behaviour. Software programmes built with specific algorithms enable quantification of these behaviours. For example, the crucial role of heat on host landing and the multimodal integration of carbon dioxide (CO2) with other host cues, has been unravelled based on three-dimensional tracking of mosquito flight behaviour. Furthermore, the behavioural processes underlying house entry and subsequent host searching and finding can be better understood by analysis of detailed flight recordings. Further potential of these technologies to solve knowledge gaps is discussed. The use of tracking techniques can support or replace existing monitoring tools and provide insights on mosquito behaviour that can lead to innovative and more effective vector-control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Spitzen
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
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26
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Knight K. Softly, softly, mosquitoes outwit human victims. J Exp Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.171249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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