Elastic wing deformations mitigate flapping asymmetry during manoeuvres in rose chafers (Protaetia cuprea).

ABSTRACT: To manoeuvre in air, flying animals produce asymmetric flapping between contralateral wings. Unlike the adjustable vertebrate wings, insect wings lack intrinsic musculature, preventing active control over wing shape during flight. However, the wings elastically deform as a result of aerodynamic and inertial forces generated by the flapping motions. How these elastic deformations vary with flapping kinematics and flight performance in free-flying insects is poorly understood. Using high-speed videography, we measured how contralateral wings elastically deform during free-flight manoeuvring in rose chafer beetles (Protaetia cuprea). We found that asymmetric flapping during aerial turns was associated with contralateral differences in chord-wise wing deformations. The highest instantan

SUBMITTER: Meresman Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7774887 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature