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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Linkage Mechanics And Power Amplification Of The Mantis Shrimp's Strike, Sheila Patek, B. N. Nowroozi, J. E. Baio, R. L. Caldwell, A. P. Summers Jan 2007

Linkage Mechanics And Power Amplification Of The Mantis Shrimp's Strike, Sheila Patek, B. N. Nowroozi, J. E. Baio, R. L. Caldwell, A. P. Summers

Sheila Patek

Mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda) generate extremely rapid and forceful predatory strikes through a suite of structural modifications of their raptorial appendages. Here we examine the key morphological and kinematic components of the raptorial strike that amplify the power output of the underlying muscle contractions. Morphological analyses of joint mechanics are integrated with CT scans of mineralization patterns and kinematic analyses toward the goal of understanding the mechanical basis of linkage dynamics and strike performance. We test whether a four-bar linkage mechanism amplifies rotation in this system and find that the rotational amplification is approximately two times the input rotation, thereby amplifying …


The Acoustic Mechanics Of Stick–Slip Friction In The California Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Interruptus), Sheila Patek, J. E. Baio Jan 2007

The Acoustic Mechanics Of Stick–Slip Friction In The California Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Interruptus), Sheila Patek, J. E. Baio

Sheila Patek

The dynamic interplay between static and sliding friction is fundamental to many animal movements. One interesting example of stick–slip friction is found in the sound-producing apparatus of many spiny lobster species (Palinuridae). The acoustic movements of the spiny lobster's plectrum over the file are generated by stick–slip friction between the two surfaces. We examined the microscopic anatomy, kinematics, acoustics and frictional properties of the California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) toward the goal of quantitatively characterizing the frictional and acoustic mechanics of this system. Using synchronous high-speed video and sound recordings, we tested whether plectrum kinematics are correlated with acoustic signal …