Meeting Abstract

P3.153  Monday, Jan. 6 15:30  Digital tendon morphology and adhesive performance in five gekkotan lizards KUO, C-Y*; PAVLUHINA-SHOWALTER, I; FEDERLE, W; CROSBY, A; IRSCHICK, DJ; Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst; Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst; Univ. of Cambridge; Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst; Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst chiyun@bio.umass.edu

The adhesive ability of that gekkotan lizards possess to move along vertical surfaces has fascinated biologists for decades. Over the years, much has been uncovered about the microstructure of subdigital pads that grant many gecko species with their superior adhesive ability. However, adhesive ability varies among species, and such variation may be explained partly by differential expression of digital hyperextension when geckos deploy their adhesive pads to the substrate. The ability to perform digital hyperextension is facilitated by a pair of lateral digital tendons that run along the length of each digit. In this study, we took a functional morphological approach and compare the length and diameter of lateral digital tendons among five different gecko species. We also performed material testings to compare the strength of the tendons among species. We aim to examine the relationship between tendon morphology and material property with the behavior of digital hyperextension. Moreover, we hope to test the long standing hypothesis that tendon morphology is an underlying factor that affect adhesive performance in gekkotan lizards.