scholarly journals Adaptive shifts underlie the divergence in wing morphology in bombycoid moths

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Ronald Aiello ◽  
Milton Tan ◽  
Usama Bin Sikandar ◽  
Alexis J Alvey ◽  
Burhanuddin Bhinderwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flight Control ◽  
Power Reduction ◽  
Flapping Flight ◽  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Fixed Energy ◽  
Adaptive Shifts ◽  
And Behavior

The evolution of flapping flight is linked to the prolific success of insects. Across Insecta, wing morphology diversified, strongly impacting aerodynamic performance. In the presence of ecological opportunity, discrete adaptive shifts and early bursts are two processes hypothesized to give rise to exceptional morphological diversification. Here, we use the sister-families Sphingidae and Saturniidae to answer how the evolution of aerodynamically important traits is linked to clade divergence and through what process(es) these traits evolve. Many agile Sphingidae evolved hover-feeding behaviors, while adult Saturniidae lack functional mouth parts and rely on a fixed energy budget as adults. We find that Sphingidae underwent an adaptive shift in wing morphology coincident with life history and behavior divergence, evolving small high aspect-ratio wings advantageous for power reduction that can be moved at high frequencies, beneficial for flight control. In contrast, Saturniidae, which do not feed as adults, evolved large wings and morphology which surprisingly does not reduce aerodynamic power, but could contribute to their erratic flight behavior, aiding in predator avoidance. We suggest that after the evolution of flapping flight, diversification of wing morphology can be potentiated by adaptative shifts, shaping the diversity of wing morphology across insects.

scholarly journals Adaptive shifts underlie the divergence in wing morphology in bombycoid moths

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1956) ◽  
pp. 20210677
Author(s):  
Brett R. Aiello ◽  
Milton Tan ◽  
Usama Bin Sikandar ◽  
Alexis J. Alvey ◽  
Burhanuddin Bhinderwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flight Control ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Power Reduction ◽  
Flapping Flight ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Flight Behaviour ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Fixed Energy ◽  
Adaptive Shift ◽  
Adaptive Shifts

The evolution of flapping flight is linked to the prolific success of insects. Across Insecta, wing morphology diversified, strongly impacting aerodynamic performance. In the presence of ecological opportunity, discrete adaptive shifts and early bursts are two processes hypothesized to give rise to exceptional morphological diversification. Here, we use the sister-families Sphingidae and Saturniidae to answer how the evolution of aerodynamically important traits is linked to clade divergence and through what process(es) these traits evolve. Many agile Sphingidae evolved hover feeding behaviours, while adult Saturniidae lack functional mouth parts and rely on a fixed energy budget as adults. We find that Sphingidae underwent an adaptive shift in wing morphology coincident with life history and behaviour divergence, evolving small high aspect ratio wings advantageous for power reduction that can be moved at high frequencies, beneficial for flight control. By contrast, Saturniidae, which do not feed as adults, evolved large wings and morphology which surprisingly does not reduce aerodynamic power, but could contribute to their erratic flight behaviour, aiding in predator avoidance. We suggest that after the evolution of flapping flight, diversification of wing morphology can be potentiated by adaptative shifts, shaping the diversity of wing morphology across insects.

scholarly journals Wing Morphology and Flight Behavior of Some North American Hummingbird Species

The Auk ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 872-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Gary Stiles ◽  
Douglas L. Altshuler ◽  
Robert Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
North American ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Wing Disc ◽  
Territorial Behavior ◽  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Reversed Sexual Size Dimorphism ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract We explored the relationship between wing morphology and flight behavior with respect to sex and age in five species of North American hummingbirds. We first measured the length, chord or “width,“ and area of entire hummingbird wing planforms. We then calculated additional parameters of wing shape and size, including aspect and shape ratios, degree of taper or “pointedness,“ wing loading, and wing disc loading (WDL). Wings of adult males are not only shorter but also more narrow and tapered than those of adult or immature females; immature males have larger wings and lower WDL, more like those of females. A proposed relationship between WDL and territorial behavior and dominance is not supported, given that adult and immature males show similar feeding territoriality outside the breeding season but females rarely do. The more extreme and divergent wings of adult males probably reflect sexual selection in connection with aerial displays that include species-specific sound effects given during the breeding season. North American species are unusual among hummingbirds in showing reversed sexual size-dimorphism (males smaller, with relatively shorter wings), a feature shared with some other small hummingbirds, notably the “Pygmornis“ hermits. Attempts to explain hummingbird foraging and territorial behavior on the basis of differences in WDL have failed because many aspects of wing morphology, physiology, and flight behavior were not taken into account. Several wing parameters appear more related to other modes of flight than to strategies of nectar exploitation, and the morphology of any given wing represents a compromise between the often conflicting aerodynamic demands of different flight modes. Understanding hummingbird flight will require broad comparative studies of wing morphology and wingbeat kinematics in relation to flight behavior, and new theoretical models and experimental data will be needed to elucidate physiological and aerodynamic mechanisms underlying forward flight and maneuvering. Morfología Alar y Comportamiento de Vuelo de Unas Especies de Colibríes de Norteamérica

Plasticity in the Visual System Is Correlated With a Change in Lifestyle of Solitarious and Gregarious Locusts

2004 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Matheson ◽  
Stephen M. Rogers ◽  
Holger G. Krapp
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Flight Control ◽  
Schistocerca Gregaria ◽  
Movement Detector ◽  
Time To Collision ◽  
Angular Extent ◽  
Behavioral Phase ◽  
Contralateral Movement ◽  
Gregarious Locusts ◽  
And Behavior

We demonstrate pronounced differences in the visual system of a polyphenic locust species that can change reversibly between two forms (phases), which vary in morphology and behavior. At low population densities, individuals of Schistocerca gregaria develop into the solitarious phase, are cryptic, and tend to avoid other locusts. At high densities, individuals develop instead into the swarm-forming gregarious phase. We analyzed in both phases the responses of an identified visual interneuron, the descending contralateral movement detector (DCMD), which responds to approaching objects. We demonstrate that habituation of DCMD is fivefold stronger in solitarious locusts. In both phases, the mean time of peak firing relative to the time to collision nevertheless occurs with a similar characteristic delay after an approaching object reaches a particular angular extent on the retina. Variation in the time of peak firing is greater in solitarious locusts, which have lower firing rates. Threshold angle and delay are therefore conserved despite changes in habituation or behavioral phase state. The different rates of habituation should contribute to different predator escape strategies or flight control for locusts living either in a swarm or as isolated individuals. For example, increased variability in the habituated responses of solitarious locusts should render their escape behaviors less predictable. Relative resistance to habituation in gregarious locusts should permit the continued responsiveness required to avoid colliding with other locusts in a swarm. These results will permit us to analyze neuronal plasticity in a model system with a well-defined and controllable behavioral context.

scholarly journals Autonomous Flying With Neuromorphic Sensing

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia P. Parlevliet ◽  
Andrey Kanaev ◽  
Chou P. Hung ◽  
Andreas Schweiger ◽  
Frederick D. Gregory ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flight Control ◽  
Information Acquisition ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Bird Flight ◽  
Autonomous Flight ◽  
Operational Capabilities ◽  
Systems Learning ◽  
Complex Models

Autonomous flight for large aircraft appears to be within our reach. However, launching autonomous systems for everyday missions still requires an immense interdisciplinary research effort supported by pointed policies and funding. We believe that concerted endeavors in the fields of neuroscience, mathematics, sensor physics, robotics, and computer science are needed to address remaining crucial scientific challenges. In this paper, we argue for a bio-inspired approach to solve autonomous flying challenges, outline the frontier of sensing, data processing, and flight control within a neuromorphic paradigm, and chart directions of research needed to achieve operational capabilities comparable to those we observe in nature. One central problem of neuromorphic computing is learning. In biological systems, learning is achieved by adaptive and relativistic information acquisition characterized by near-continuous information retrieval with variable rates and sparsity. This results in both energy and computational resource savings being an inspiration for autonomous systems. We consider pertinent features of insect, bat and bird flight behavior as examples to address various vital aspects of autonomous flight. Insects exhibit sophisticated flight dynamics with comparatively reduced complexity of the brain. They represent excellent objects for the study of navigation and flight control. Bats and birds enable more complex models of attention and point to the importance of active sensing for conducting more complex missions. The implementation of neuromorphic paradigms for autonomous flight will require fundamental changes in both traditional hardware and software. We provide recommendations for sensor hardware and processing algorithm development to enable energy efficient and computationally effective flight control.

Flight muscles and flight dynamics: towards an integrative framework

2005 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Flight Control ◽  
Orbital Stability ◽  
Flight Dynamics ◽  
Flapping Flight ◽  
Reference State ◽  
Muscle Physiology ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
Flight Muscles ◽  
Neural Feedback

AbstractHere a conceptual framework is provided for analysing the role of the flight muscles in stability and control. Stability usually refers to the tendency of a system to return to a characteristic reference state, whether static, as in gliding, or oscillatory, as in flapping. Asymptotic Lyapunov stability and asymptotic orbital stability as formal definitions of gliding and flapping flight stability, respectively, are discussed and a limit cycle control analogy for flapping flight control proposed. Stability can arise inherently or through correctional control. Conceptually, inherent stability is that which would arise if all body parts were rigid and all articulation angles were constants (gliding) or periodic functions (flapping), both of which require muscular effort. Pose can be maintained during disturbances by neural feedback or isometric contraction of tonic muscles: cyclic pose changes can be buffered by neural feedback or viscous damping by phasic muscles. Correctional control serves to drive the system towards its reference state, which will usually involve a phasic response, if only because of the tendency of flying bodies to oscillate during disturbances. Muscles involved in correctional control must therefore be tuned to the characteristic frequencies of the system. Furthermore, in manoeuvre control, these frequencies set an upper limit on the timescales on which control inputs can be effective. Flight muscle physiology should therefore be evolutionarily co-tuned with the morphological parameters of the system that determine its frequency response. Understanding this fully will require us to integrate internal models of physiology with external models of flight dynamics.

Feeding ecology and behavior of postbreeding male Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shovelers

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1292-1297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. DuBowy
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Foraging Mode ◽  
Time Activity ◽  
Anas Discors ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Anas Clypeata ◽  
Foraging Method ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Foraging Specialization

This study examined foraging strategies in male Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) and Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors). Differences in time–activity budgets and esophageal contents between the two species indicated major differences in the degree of foraging specialization. Preflightless male Northern Shovelers spent 84.2% of time foraging, with dabbling in the water column as the principal foraging mode (83.4%), while postflightless male shovelers spent 81.6% of time foraging (78.7% dabbling). Preflightless male Blue-winged Teal spent 68.6% of time foraging, with dabbling in mud (32.5%) and picking in vegetation (29.4%) as the two principal modes, whereas postflightless male bluewings spent 85.9% of time foraging (dabbling in mud 40.6%, and picking 34.2%). Most male Northern Shoveler food items were cladocerans (85.5%) or chironomid pupae (12.9%); this was related to the specialized foraging method employed by shovelers. Male Blue-winged Teal food items were principally gastropods (44.3%), culicids (29.2%), seeds and vegetation (15.5%), and chironomids (5.6%), which corresponded to the plastic feeding behaviors of bluewings. Examination of esophageal items revealed that male Northern Shovelers did little feeding during the summer flightless period, while male Blue-winged Teal fed throughout the period.

Comparison of wing morphology in three birds of prey: Correlations with differences in flight behavior

2006 ◽  
Vol 267 (5) ◽  
pp. 612-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine L. Corvidae ◽  
Richard O. Bierregaard ◽  
Susan E. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Birds Of Prey ◽  
Wing Morphology
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