Meeting Abstract
An insect wing contains a series of vein networks that transport hemolymph. Fluid transport in the wing is necessary for wing inflation during metamorphosis, cell growth, thermoregulation during basking, and maintenance of neural connections. Despite the importance of fluid flow in insect wing veins, the physics mediating this flow, and its overall direction and velocity remain largely unknown. We explored the hemodynamics of insect wing veins on two fronts, one theoretical and one experimental. We first used a network analysis approach to understand how wing network patterns and hierarchies emerge across phylogenetic orders. Using Python-based segmentation analysis and network Generalized Erdos Numbers code, we examined wing networks across 95 individuals spanning 13 insect orders. The metric of Generalized Erdos Numbers is based on a geometric flow term, radius4/length (where radius is the width of the wing vein and length is the distance between nodes), which is related to the resistance to flow. This naturally leads to examining hemolymph flow across a wing. The second part of this project focused on observing and measuring flow within the wings of live Orthopterans (Family: Acrididae, Gryllidae). These animals were chosen for their “loopy” networks in the forewing and lattice networks in the hindwings. By using the analyzed networks as predictors of flow hierarchy, we then perturbed these networks experimentally in vivo in order to observe how the hemodynamics change. These novel approaches provide insight into morphological diversity seen in flying insects.
