Whole-wing microtomographic imaging of grasshopper wings


SOCIETY FOR INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
2021 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING (VAM)
January 3 – Febuary 28, 2021

Meeting Abstract


66-8  Sat Jan 2  Whole-wing microtomographic imaging of grasshopper wings Salcedo, MK*; Shevchenko, PD; Socha, JJ; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA msalcedo@vt.edu http://maryksalcedo.com

Wings allow an insect to perform ecologically important behaviors including predation, migration, and pollination, and also serve as inspiration for insect-size micro-air vehicles. Recent evidence confirms the importance of wing flexibility in aerodynamic force production, suggesting that hydration, via hemolymph, is essential to maintaining the aerodynamic function of wings, as well as maintaining local sensory structures. Hemolymph circulates through insect wing veins; however, how flow is delivered to the wings is not well understood. Here, we report a complete three-dimensional morphology of the network of veins in the wings of grasshoppers, providing the basis for new models to study patterns of hemolymph movement. High-resolution tomography of wings was conducted using synchrotron x-ray imaging at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. Scans were performed on whole wings of recently sacrificed insects, examining venation of the adult forewing and hindwing of four North American grasshoppers, Schistocerca Americana, and unexpanded wings of six migratory grasshoppers, Melanoplus sanguinipes, totaling 30 wing scans. Fast scanning (<2 min/section) helped to ensure that tracheal tubes remained intact in freshly sacrificed insects. Preliminary analyses suggest that within a wing vein, the relative proportion of hemolymph space, tracheal volume, and vein wall thickness shifts dramatically over the span of the wing. These data provide accurate 3D models of insect wings, informing further studies on hemolymph circulation in the wings. Supported by NSF 1812215 and 1558052.

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