scholarly journals Prey capturing and feeding apparatus of dragonfly nymph

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lakshminath Kundanati ◽  
Prashant Das ◽  
Nicola M. Pugno

AbstractAquatic predatory insects, like the nymphs of a dragonfly, use rapid movements to catch their prey. Dragonfly nymphs are voracious predators that feed on smaller aquatic organisms. In this study, we examine dragonfly nymph (Libellulidae: Insecta: Odonata) mouthparts that are used in prey capturing and feeding. In particular, we characterise the morphology of the labium and mechanical properties of the mandibles of the nymph. Additionally, we record and analyse the preying mechanism using high-speed photography. The morphological details suggest that the prey capturing mechanism is a complex grasping mechanism with additional sensory organs that might aid in sensing the surroundings. The times taken for the extension and retraction of labial organ during prey capture was 187±54 ms. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the mandibles samples were 9.1±1.9 GPa and 0.85±0.13 GPa. Gradation in the mechanical properties was also observed in the mandible tip regions with increased properties at the tip end. The overall mechanism with its sensory capabilities provides a unique design to develop bioinspired underwater deployable mechanisms.

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 559
Author(s):  
Lakshminath Kundanati ◽  
Prashant Das ◽  
Nicola M. Pugno

Aquatic predatory insects, like the nymphs of a dragonfly, use rapid movements to catch their prey and it presents challenges in terms of movements due to drag forces. Dragonfly nymphs are known to be voracious predators with structures and movements that are yet to be fully understood. Thus, we examine two main mouthparts of the dragonfly nymph (Libellulidae: Insecta: Odonata) that are used in prey capturing and cutting the prey. To observe and analyze the preying mechanism under water, we used high-speed photography and, electron microscopy. The morphological details suggest that the prey-capturing labium is a complex grasping mechanism with additional sensory organs that serve some functionality. The time taken for the protraction and retraction of labium during prey capture was estimated to be 187 ± 54 ms, suggesting that these nymphs have a rapid prey mechanism. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the mandibles were estimated to be 9.1 ± 1.9 GPa and 0.85 ± 0.13 GPa, respectively. Such mechanical properties of the mandibles make them hard tools that can cut into the exoskeleton of the prey and also resistant to wear. Thus, studying such mechanisms with their sensory capabilities provides a unique opportunity to design and develop bioinspired underwater deployable mechanisms.


Author(s):  
E. V. Petrov ◽  
V. S. Trofimov ◽  
V. O. Kopytskiy

The surface layer of an obstacle made of U8 steel is investigated after high-speed exposure to a flow of powder particles. After analyzing the frames of high-speed photography, the average velocities of movement of particles of tungsten and titanium carbide powders were determined. It is shown that the shock-wave loading of the barrier material and the effect of particles accelerated by the explosion energy provide a change in the physical and mechanical properties of the surface and the volume of the steel barrier material.


2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (21) ◽  
pp. jeb232868
Author(s):  
Daniel Schwarz ◽  
Stanislav N. Gorb ◽  
Alexander Kovalev ◽  
Nicolai Konow ◽  
Egon Heiss

ABSTRACTIntraoral food processing mechanisms are known for all major vertebrate groups, but the form and function of systems used to crush, grind or puncture food items can differ substantially between and within groups. Most vertebrates display flexible mechanisms of intraoral food processing with respect to different environmental conditions or food types. It has recently been shown that newts use cyclical loop-motions of the tongue to rasp prey against the palatal dentition. However, it remains unknown whether newts can adjust their food processing behavior in response to different food types or environmental conditions. Newts are interesting models for studying the functional adaptation to different conditions because of their unique and flexible lifestyle: they seasonally change between aquatic and terrestrial habitats, adapt their prey-capture mode to the respective environment, and consume diverse food types with different mechanical properties. Using X-ray high-speed recordings, anatomical investigations, behavioral analyses and mechanical property measurements, we tested the effects of the medium in which feeding occurs (water/air) and the food type (maggot, earthworm, cricket) on the processing behavior in Triturus carnifex. We discovered that food processing, by contrast to prey capture, differed only slightly between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. However, newts adjusted the number of processing cycles to different prey types: while maggots were processed extensively, earthworm pieces were barely processed at all. We conclude that, in addition to food mechanical properties, sensory feedback such as smell and taste appear to induce flexible processing responses, while the medium in which feeding occurs appears to have less of an effect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-129
Author(s):  
Shin’ichi Aratani

High speed photography using the Cranz-Schardin camera was performed to study the crack divergence and divergence angle in thermally tempered glass. A tempered 3.5 mm thick glass plate was used as a specimen. It was shown that two types of bifurcation and branching existed as the crack divergence. The divergence angle was smaller than the value calculated from the principle of optimal design and showed an acute angle.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Rakhimov ◽  
A.T. Akhmetov

The paper presents results of hydrodynamic and rheological studies of the inverse water hydrocarbon emulsions. The success of the application of invert emulsions in the petroleum industry due, along with the high viscosity of the emulsion, greatly exceeding the viscosity of the carrier phase, the dynamic blocking effect, which consists in the fact that the rate of flow of emulsions in capillary structures and cracks falls with time to 3-4 orders, despite the permanent pressure drop. The reported study shows an increase in viscosity with increasing concentration or dispersion of emulsion. The increase in dispersion of w/o emulsion leads to an acceleration of the onset of dynamic blocking. The use of microfluidic devices, is made by soft photolithography, along with high-speed photography (10,000 frames/s), allowed us to see in the blocking condition the deformation of the microdroplets of water in inverse emulsion prepared from simple chemical compounds.


2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serkan Büyükdoğan ◽  
Süleyman Gündüz ◽  
Mustafa Türkmen

Purpose – The paper aims to provide new observations about static strain ageing in aluminium (Al) alloys which are widely used in structural applications. Design/methodology/approach – The present work aims to provide theoretical and practical information to industries or researchers who may be interested in the effect of static strain ageing on mechanical properties of Al alloys. The data are sorted into the following sections: introduction, materials and experimental procedure, results and discussion and conclusions. Findings – Tensile strength, proof strength (0.2 per cent) and percentage elongation measurement were used to investigate the effect of strain ageing on the mechanical properties. Wear tests were performed by sliding the pin specimens, which were prepared from as-received, solution heat-treated, deformed and undeformed specimens after ageing, on high-speed tool steel (64 HRC). It is concluded that the variations in ageing time improved the strength and wear resistance of the 6063 Al alloy; however, a plastically deformed solution-treated alloy has higher strength and wear resistance than undeformed specimens for different ageing times at 180°C. Practical implications – A very useful source of information for industries using or planning to produce Al alloys. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified resource need and offers practical help to the industries.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1134
Author(s):  
Bo Seok Song ◽  
Jun Young Lee ◽  
Sun Hwa Jang ◽  
Wan-Gyu Hahm

High-speed melt spinning of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) resin composed of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 2-hydroxy-6-napthoic acid (HNA) monomers in a molar ratio of 73/27 was conducted to investigate the characteristic structure development of the fibers under industrial spinning conditions, and the obtained as-spun TLCP fibers were analyzed in detail. The tensile strength and modulus of the fibers increased with shear rate in nozzle hole, draft in spin-line and spinning temperature and exhibited the high values of approximately 1.1 and 63 GPa, respectively, comparable to those of industrial as-spun TLCP fibers, at a shear rate of 70,000 s−1 and a draft of 25. X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the fibers increased with the crystalline orientation factor (fc) and the fractions of highly oriented crystalline and non-crystalline anisotropic phases. The results of structure analysis indicated that a characteristic skin–core structure developed at high drafts (i.e., spinning velocity) and low spinning temperatures, which contributed to weakening the mechanical properties of the TLCP fibers. It is supposed that this heterogeneous structure in the cross-section of the fibers was induced by differences in the cooling rates of the skin and core of the fiber in the spin-line.


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