| Title |
Ants swimming in pitcher plants: kinematics of aquatic and terrestrial locomotion in Camponotus schmitzi
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Journal of Comparative Physiology A, April 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s00359-012-0723-4 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Holger Florian Bohn, Daniel George Thornham, Walter Federle |
| Abstract |
Camponotus schmitzi ants live in symbiosis with the Bornean pitcher plant Nepenthes bicalcarata. Unique among ants, the workers regularly dive and swim in the pitcher's digestive fluid to forage for food. High-speed motion analysis revealed that C. schmitzi ants swim at the surface with all legs submerged, with an alternating tripod pattern. Compared to running, swimming involves lower stepping frequencies and larger phase delays within the legs of each tripod. Swimming ants move front and middle legs faster and keep them more extended during the power stroke than during the return stroke. Thrust estimates calculated from three-dimensional leg kinematics using a blade-element approach confirmed that forward propulsion is mainly achieved by the front and middle legs. The hind legs move much less, suggesting that they mainly serve for steering. Experiments with tethered C. schmitzi ants showed that characteristic swimming movements can be triggered by submersion in water. This reaction was absent in another Camponotus species investigated. Our study demonstrates how insects can use the same locomotory system and similar gait patterns for moving on land and in water. We discuss insect adaptations for aquatic/amphibious lifestyles and the special adaptations of C. schmitzi to living on an insect-trapping pitcher plant. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 11 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 4 | 36% |
| United States | 2 | 18% |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 1 | 9% |
| Unknown | 4 | 36% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 8 | 73% |
| Scientists | 2 | 18% |
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 1 | 9% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 78 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2 | 3% |
| India | 1 | 1% |
| Belgium | 1 | 1% |
| Brazil | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown | 73 | 94% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 20 | 26% |
| Researcher | 12 | 15% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 11 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 6 | 8% |
| Professor | 6 | 8% |
| Other | 15 | 19% |
| Unknown | 8 | 10% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 33 | 42% |
| Engineering | 6 | 8% |
| Sports and Recreations | 6 | 8% |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 15 | 19% |
| Unknown | 13 | 17% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 30. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 12 February 2022.
All research outputs
#1,281,121
of 25,163,621 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Comparative Physiology A
#64
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Outputs of similar age
#6,606
of 167,112 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Comparative Physiology A
#1
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