Reversible Underwater Adhesion: The Unique C-shaped Suckers of Net-winged Midge Larvae (Blepharicera sp.).

ABSTRACT: Aquatic insects living in fast-flowing streams have developed various types of attachment systems to resist being carried away by strong currents. Combinations of various attachment devices offer aquatic insects advantages in underwater adhesion on substrates with different surface properties. In this study, the net-winged midge (Blepharicera sp.) larvae were investigated to understand micro-/nano-structural attachment mechanisms. The hierarchical structure of insect adhesive surfaces was characterized using Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Centrifugal measurements were also conducted to measure the critical rotational velocity at which the larvae of Blepharicera sp. can adhere to substrates with varying roughness. Comm

SUBMITTER: Liu GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7286893 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature