Behavior and morphology combine to influence energy dissipation in mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda).

ABSTRACT: Animals deliver and withstand physical impacts in diverse behavioral contexts, from competing rams clashing their antlers together to archerfish impacting prey with jets of water. Though the ability of animals to withstand impact has generally been studied by focusing on morphology, behaviors may also influence impact resistance. Mantis shrimp exchange high-force strikes on each other's coiled, armored telsons (tailplates) during contests over territory. Prior work has shown that telson morphology has high impact resistance. I hypothesized that the behavior of coiling the telson also contributes to impact energy dissipation. By measuring impact dynamics from high-speed videos of strikes exchanged during contests between freely moving animals, I found that approximately 20% more impact ener

SUBMITTER: Green PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11128283 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature