Kinematics and energetics of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) when jumping from compliant surfaces.

ABSTRACT: Animals often leap from substrates that give way under them, such as leaves, soft ground or flexible branches. This provides an added complexity for latch-mediated spring-actuated (LaMSA) jumping animals because the spring-loaded system often works so quickly that neural feedback cannot adjust for errors caused by a yielding substrate. We studied a LaMSA jumper, the grasshopper, to determine how the mechanical properties of a substrate giving way under them would affect the kinematics of the jump. We measured this by allowing grasshoppers to leap from two diving boards, a long one that could generate a whole range of relative stiffnesses, and a shorter, much lighter, but stiffer board. Substrate stiffness was manipulated by then placing the grasshopper on different locations on that diving

SUBMITTER: Taylor J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11698038 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature