International audienceHigh-speed power-amplification mechanisms are common throughout the animal kingdom. In ants, power-amplified trap-jaw mandibles have evolved independently at least four times, including once in the subfamily Ponerinae which contains the sister genera Odontomachus and Anochetus. In Odontomachus, mandible strikes have been relatively well described and can occur in <0.15 ms and reach speeds of over 60 m s(-1). In contrast, the kinematics of mandible strikes have not been examined in Anochetus, whose species are smaller and morphologically distinct from Odontomachus. In this study, we describe the mandible strike kinematics of four species of Anochetus representative of the morphological, phylogenetic, and size diversity ...
Small organisms use propulsive springs rather than muscles to repeatedly actuate high acceleration m...
Animals use a variety of escape mechanisms to increase the probability of surviving predatory attack...
Abstract Insects evolved various modifications to their mouthparts, allowing for a broad exploration...
Speed is a fundamental trait in many animals; the ability to move quickly to capture prey or evade p...
Trap-jaw ants are characterized by high-speed mandibles used for prey capture and defense. Power-amp...
Extreme animal movements are usually associated with a single, high-performance behavior. However, t...
Abstract The asymmetric mandibles of termites are hypothetically more efficient, rapid, and powerful...
Key innovations are traits that allow organisms to interact with their environment in novel ways and...
SummaryArthropods use a remarkable variety of mechanisms to store energy for rapid ballistic movemen...
Animals use a diverse combination of mechanical components, such as levers, springs, and linkages, t...
What is the limit of animal speed and what mechanisms produce the fastest movements? More than natur...
The co-option of existing traits for novel functions is fundamental to many theories of trait evolut...
Small animals possess intriguing morphological and behavioral traits that allow them to capture prey...
Abstract Evolutionary co-option of existing structures for new functions is a powerful yet understud...
Ants show remarkable ecological and evolutionary success due to their social life history and divisi...
Small organisms use propulsive springs rather than muscles to repeatedly actuate high acceleration m...
Animals use a variety of escape mechanisms to increase the probability of surviving predatory attack...
Abstract Insects evolved various modifications to their mouthparts, allowing for a broad exploration...
Speed is a fundamental trait in many animals; the ability to move quickly to capture prey or evade p...
Trap-jaw ants are characterized by high-speed mandibles used for prey capture and defense. Power-amp...
Extreme animal movements are usually associated with a single, high-performance behavior. However, t...
Abstract The asymmetric mandibles of termites are hypothetically more efficient, rapid, and powerful...
Key innovations are traits that allow organisms to interact with their environment in novel ways and...
SummaryArthropods use a remarkable variety of mechanisms to store energy for rapid ballistic movemen...
Animals use a diverse combination of mechanical components, such as levers, springs, and linkages, t...
What is the limit of animal speed and what mechanisms produce the fastest movements? More than natur...
The co-option of existing traits for novel functions is fundamental to many theories of trait evolut...
Small animals possess intriguing morphological and behavioral traits that allow them to capture prey...
Abstract Evolutionary co-option of existing structures for new functions is a powerful yet understud...
Ants show remarkable ecological and evolutionary success due to their social life history and divisi...
Small organisms use propulsive springs rather than muscles to repeatedly actuate high acceleration m...
Animals use a variety of escape mechanisms to increase the probability of surviving predatory attack...
Abstract Insects evolved various modifications to their mouthparts, allowing for a broad exploration...