Meeting Abstract

27.2  Friday, Jan. 4  The evolution of Gecko adhesion: An integrative perspective IRSCHICK, D.J.*; CROSBY, AJ; FEDERLE, W; Univ. Massachusetts Amherst; Univ. Massachusetts Amherst; Cambridge University, UK irschick@bio.umass.edu

Gecko adhesion has received a great deal of attention in the popular media and among scientists aiming to mimic their adhesive properties for human use. However, while there has been a general neglect of both an evolutionary perspective and one that integrates synthetic and empirical data. Our approach is to examine gecko adhesion on a wider perspective by examining the wide evolution of toepad anatomy, and to understand how the scaling of adhesion can be predicted by morphological and anatomical features. We place this approach in the context of the recent discovery of GeckskinTM, which unites anatomy and a whole-organism perspective, and which represents a breakthrough in synthetic gecko adhesion. This approach differs markedly from other approaches that examine only setae, and which largely ignore the integrative organismal features of the gecko foot. We then provide a prospectus for the future of gecko adhesion through a more integrative perspective.