Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size
Vibrations through substrates are an important source of information for diverse organisms, from nematodes to elephants. The fundamental challenge for small animals using vibrational communication is to move their limited mass fast enough to provide sufficient kinetic energy for effective informatio...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science
2019
|
| _version_ | 1797063327078154240 |
|---|---|
| author | Davranoglou, L Cicirello, A Taylor, G Mortimer, B |
| author_facet | Davranoglou, L Cicirello, A Taylor, G Mortimer, B |
| author_sort | Davranoglou, L |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Vibrations through substrates are an important source of information for diverse organisms, from nematodes to elephants. The fundamental challenge for small animals using vibrational communication is to move their limited mass fast enough to provide sufficient kinetic energy for effective information transfer through the substrate whilst optimising energy efficiency over repeated cycles. Here, we describe a vibratory organ found across a commercially important group of plant-feeding insects, the planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha). This elastic recoil snapping organ generates substrate-borne broadband vibrations using fast, cyclical abdominal motion that transfers kinetic energy to the substrate through the legs. Elastic potential energy is stored and released twice using two different latched energy-storage mechanisms, each utilising a different form of elastic recoil to increase the speed of motion. Comparison to the acoustic tymbal organ of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha) reveals functional convergence in their use of elastic mechanisms to increase the efficacy of mechanical communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:58:14Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:39ff0ec5-b300-46e1-be79-78e4fa4dbd62 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:58:14Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:39ff0ec5-b300-46e1-be79-78e4fa4dbd622022-03-26T13:58:54ZPlanthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body sizeJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:39ff0ec5-b300-46e1-be79-78e4fa4dbd62EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordPublic Library of Science2019Davranoglou, LCicirello, ATaylor, GMortimer, BVibrations through substrates are an important source of information for diverse organisms, from nematodes to elephants. The fundamental challenge for small animals using vibrational communication is to move their limited mass fast enough to provide sufficient kinetic energy for effective information transfer through the substrate whilst optimising energy efficiency over repeated cycles. Here, we describe a vibratory organ found across a commercially important group of plant-feeding insects, the planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha). This elastic recoil snapping organ generates substrate-borne broadband vibrations using fast, cyclical abdominal motion that transfers kinetic energy to the substrate through the legs. Elastic potential energy is stored and released twice using two different latched energy-storage mechanisms, each utilising a different form of elastic recoil to increase the speed of motion. Comparison to the acoustic tymbal organ of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha) reveals functional convergence in their use of elastic mechanisms to increase the efficacy of mechanical communication. |
| spellingShingle | Davranoglou, L Cicirello, A Taylor, G Mortimer, B Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title | Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title_full | Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title_fullStr | Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title_full_unstemmed | Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title_short | Planthopper bugs use a fast, cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| title_sort | planthopper bugs use a fast cyclic elastic recoil mechanism for effective vibrational communication at small body size |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davranogloul planthopperbugsuseafastcyclicelasticrecoilmechanismforeffectivevibrationalcommunicationatsmallbodysize AT cicirelloa planthopperbugsuseafastcyclicelasticrecoilmechanismforeffectivevibrationalcommunicationatsmallbodysize AT taylorg planthopperbugsuseafastcyclicelasticrecoilmechanismforeffectivevibrationalcommunicationatsmallbodysize AT mortimerb planthopperbugsuseafastcyclicelasticrecoilmechanismforeffectivevibrationalcommunicationatsmallbodysize |