Abstract
Ants of the genus Acanthognathus stalk small insects and catch their prey by a strike with their long, thin mandibles. The mandibles close in less than 2.5 ms and this movement is controlled by a specialized closer muscle. In Acanthognathus, unlike other insects, the mandible closer muscle is subdivided into two distinct parts: as in a catapult, a large slow closer muscle contracts in advance and provides the power for the strike while the mandibles are locked open. When the prey touches specialized trigger hairs, a small fast closer muscle rapidly unlocks the mandibles and thus releases the strike. The fast movement is steadied by large specialized surfaces in the mandible joint and the sensory-motor reflex is controlled by neurones with particularly large, and thus fast-conducting, axons.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 227-240 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Physiological Entomology |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1998 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Acanthognathus
- Catch mechanism
- Fast movement
- Functional morphology
- Mandible joint
- Movement control
- Trap jaws
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Insect Science