HUNT, R.E.: Mating behavior in leafhoppers and treehoppers: involvement of vibrational signals in male-male competition and female preference The evolution of communication systems is strongly influenced by the types of signals used by animals and the environment though which they are transmitted. For example, acoustic signals are transmitted rapidly over great distances and the environment […]

Narins, P.M.*; Lewis, E.R.: Good Vibrations: Seismic Signal Use by Fossorial Mammals Low-frequency seismic vibrations are known to travel across the surface of the earth, a medium relatively free from background noise. In recent years, seismic sensitivity has been recognized as an important sensory modality in fossorial mammals. Consistent with this idea, it has been […]

O’CONNELL-RODWELL, C.E.*; ARNASON, B.; HART, L.A.: Exploring the Possibility of Low-Frequency Seismic Communication in Elephants and Other Large Mammals As an elephant vocalizes with low frequency rumbles, a signal replica is propagated in the ground. Using seismic modeling, we estimated that the elephant rumbles that we recorded could potentially travel up to 16.7 km in […]

Lewis, E.R. R. Lewis; Narins, P.M.*: Do White-lipped Frogs Use Seismic Signals for Intraspecific Communication In the inner ear of a modern frog, the volume occupied by the saccule is approximately equal to that occupied by all of the seven other sensory endorgans taken together. Unlike that of any other terrestrial vertebrate, the sensory surface […]

FLAMMANG, P.: Tube feet and Cuvierian tubules: two different adhesive systems from echinoderms The fact that many marine invertebrates produce adhesives that act in the presence of water has raised a growing scientific interest because such bioadhesives may find applications in underwater construction or in the medical and dental fields. In our laboratory, we are […]

FEDERLE, W; FULL, RJ: Thin Liquid Films and Ant Adhesion Some insects can produce adhesive forces equivalent to more than 100 times their own body weight on smooth surfaces. Attachment is mediated by specialized smooth or hairy cuticle pads on the (pre-)tarsus. Both the mechanism of adhesion/friction and of how insects can control their adhesive […]

SMITH, A.M.: The use of mucous gels as glues Many marine animals secrete visco-elastic, mucus-based adhesives. These adhesive gels form attachments that can approach the strength of barnacle and mussel glues, yet they are temporary. The ability to form such strong, temporary attachments with a gel containing more than 95% water makes these adhesives a […]

KIER, W.M.*; SMITH, A.M.: The Structure and Adhesive Mechanism of Octopus Suckers Octopus suckers employ suction adhesion to perform a variety of functions including locomotion, anchoring the body and holding prey, collecting and manipulating objects, chemotactile recognition, behavioral displays, and cleaning maneuvers. The suckers consist of a tightly packed three-dimensional array of muscle with three […]

AUTUMN, K.: The Gecko Effect: Dynamic Dry Adhesive Microstructures In the 4th century B.C.E., Aristotle extolled the ability of the gecko to, �run up and down a tree in any way, even with the head downwards.� Two millennia later, we have discovered many of the secrets of gecko adhesion, yet the millions of dry, adhesive […]

GORB, S.N.: Structural Design and Biomechanics of Attachment Devices in Insects Numerous microscopic studies on insect cuticle have described the remarkable diversity of surface protuberances. Cuticular protuberances serve diverse functions, such as body cleaning, air holding, maintenance of thermal balance, increase of the aerodynamic activity of the surface, sound generation etc. More frequently the microsculptures […]