Main conclusion This study combines own experimental data with an extensive literature research to characterize the average single pollen grain mass, volume and density as parameters for future force measurements on pollen. Abstract The analysis of pollen grain mechanical properties and adhesion and detachment forces is important to understand the process of pollination in general. However, it requires knowledge of pollen grai...

Flight in birds is supported by the presence of wing feathers known as remiges. Particularly, the asymmetrically shaped primary feathers ( Remiges primarii ) generate the necessary lift that allows a bird to take off. These feathers are supplemented with keratinous microstructures called hooklets. The interlocking ability with the opposing posterior barbules creates a continuous surface referred to as the feather’s vane. Using...

Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), also known as black soldier fly (BSF), offers an important sustainable approach to waste management and resource recovery, since its larvae can reduce organic waste volumes, transform them into biomass, and generate protein-rich feed, biodiesel precursors, and organic fertilizers. Despite the abundance of information on its larval stage, the reproductive biology of the adult is still...

The nasal mite Halarachne halichoeri thrives in a unique niche: the respiratory tracts of deep-diving seals, where it faces high hydrostatic pressures, hypoxia, and osmotic stress. Using synchrotron X-ray microtomography, 3D reconstruction, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, we reveal the mite’s adaptations to these extreme conditions. Its specialized attachment system, comprising two claws a...

Aims Seed mucilage plays a crucial role in plant ecology and survival strategies. The mucilage, which has high adhesive forces, can be very effective as defense mechanism against ant-mediated seed predation. Especially harvester ants are known to collect seeds and therefore influence seed dispersal and seed survival. To get a better understanding in ant-mediated seed predation, this study investigates the protective properties...

Representatives of the subfamily Criocerinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) possess bifid (branched) adhesive setae with spatulate and lanceolate tips, alongside non-branched climbing setae as well as male-specific setae with discoid tips. A microscopy study of the tarsal attachment systems of Crioceris asparagi (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lilioceris lilii (Scopoli, 1763) elucidates the morphology, ultrastructure, and distribution of ad...

The respiratory mite Orthohalarachne attenuata , a parasite inhabiting the respiratory tract of otariid and odobenid pinnipeds, faces unique biomechanical challenges in its marine environment. It must securely attach to the slippery mucosa of its host while maintaining the ability to traverse dry and wet surfaces to recruit new hosts. This study explores the morphology of the attachment structures and mechanisms of O. attenuat...

Echinops plants, a genus of globe thistles, have proven to be highly attractive to various arthropods in the field. They offer a complex, three-dimensional, and pubescent terrain that is conducive to omnivorous predatory mirid bugs, such as Macrolophus pygmaeus , and related species within the subfamily Bryocorinae (Heteroptera, Miridae), where many other entomophagous insects may struggle. A microscopic examination of the lea...

The small Pangean dragonfly family Petaluridae poses intriguing questions both on its own evolution and on the evolution of Odonata as a whole. Molecular studies suggest that it began its generic diversification in the Mesozoic and eventually formed two clades, one Laurasian ( Tachopteryx and Tanypteryx ) and one Gondwanan ( Phenes , Uropetala and Petalura ). We describe the female genitalia of three species of Petaluridae by...

Aragonite undersaturation ( 1) events are projected to rapidly increase in frequency and duration in the Antarctic Weddell Sea by 2050. Thecosome pteropods (pelagic snails) are bioindicators of ocean acidification (OA) because their aragonite shell dissolves easily at low saturation states. Here, we describe the shell dissolution state of the pteropod Limacina helicina antarctica in relation to the water column in the southern...

The anatomy of the femoro-tibial joint of the walking legs in four representatives of the main groups of Arthropoda (Myriapoda, Chelicerata, Crustacea and Insecta) is examined. Using the method resembling reverse engineering the principal structure of the femoro-tibial joint is reconstructed and analysed. The segmentation of the walking leg, position of the articulation and its functional role in locomotion are discussed. Thre...

Polarization is a property of light that describes the oscillation of the electric field vector. Polarized light can be detected by many invertebrate animals, and this visual channel is widely used in nature. Insects rely on light polarization for various purposes, such as water detection, improving contrast, breaking camouflage, navigation, and signaling during mating. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) are highly visual i...

Sexual conflict theory predicts that males that adopt coercive mating strategies impose costs to females during copulation. Nevertheless, conflicting mating strategies may also affect males, although such effects on males are often neglected in the literature. Here, we seek to understand whether male water striders ( Gerris lacustris ) experience higher body temperatures than females during coercive mating behavior. We we expl...