Biomechanical drivers of the evolution of butterflies and moths with a coilable proboscis

Palaoro, Alexandre V.; Monaenkova, Daria; Beard, Charles E.; Adler, Peter H.; Kornev, Konstantin G.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.0903

Biomechanical drivers of the evolution of butterflies and moths with a coilable proboscis

Journal Article · Wed Nov 27 00:00:00 EST 2024 · Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.0903· OSTI ID:2478890

^[1]; Monaenkova, Daria ^[2]; Beard, Charles E. ^[3]; Adler, Peter H. ^[3]; ^[4]

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 82590-300, Brazil
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA, Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA

Current biomechanical models suggest that butterflies and moths use their proboscis as a drinking straw pulling nectar as a continuous liquid column. Our analyses revealed an alternative mode for fluid uptake: drinking bubble trains that help defeat drag. We combined X-ray phase-contrast imaging, optical video microscopy, micro-computed tomography, phylogenetic models of evolution and fluid mechanics models of bubble-train formation to understand the biomechanics of butterfly and moth feeding. Our models suggest that the bubble-train mechanism appeared in the early evolution of butterflies and moths with a proboscis long enough to coil. We propose that, in addition to the ability to drink a continuous column of fluid from pools, the ability to exploit fluid films by capitalizing on bubble trains would have expanded the range of available food sources, facilitating diversification of Lepidoptera.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 2478890

Journal Information:: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Journal Name: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Journal Issue: 2035 Vol. 291; ISSN 0962-8452

Publisher:: The Royal SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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