Obstacle negotiation in female desert locust oviposition digging.

ABSTRACT: The female locust lays its eggs deep within soft substrate to protect them from predators and provide optimal conditions for successful development and hatching. During oviposition digging, the female's abdomen is pooled and extends into the ground, guided by a dedicated excavation mechanism at its tip, comprising two pairs of specialized digging valves. Little is known about how these active valves negotiate the various obstacles encountered on their path. In this study, female locusts oviposited their eggs in specialized sand-filled tubes with pre-inserted 3D-printed plastic obstacles. The subterranean route taken by the abdomen and digging valves upon encountering the obstacles was investigated, characterized, and compared to that in control tubes without obstacles. Data were obtained b

SUBMITTER: Klechevski C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11310224 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature