Oscillation of the velvet worm slime jet by passive hydrodynamic instability

Autor(es)

Concha, Andres ^[1] ; Mellado, Paula ^[1] ; Morera-Brenes, Bernal ^[2] ; Costa, Cristiano Sampaio ^[3] ; Mahadevan, L. ^{[4, 5]} ; Monge-Najera, Julian ^[6]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Adolfo Ibanez Univ, Sch Sci & Engn, Santiago 7941169 - Chile

^[2] Univ Nacl Costa Rica, Escuela Ciencias Biol, Lab Genet Evolut, Heredia 863000 - Costa Rica

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biosci, Dept Zool, BR-11461 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Harvard Univ, Sch Engn & Appl Sci, Cambridge, MA 02138 - USA

^[5] Harvard Univ, Dept Phys, Cambridge, MA 02138 - USA

^[6] Univ Costa Rica, Trop Biol, San Jose 2060 - Costa Rica

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS; v. 6, MAR 2015.
• Citações Web of Science: 10

Resumo

The rapid squirt of a proteinaceous slime jet endows velvet worms (Onychophora) with a unique mechanism for defence from predators and for capturing prey by entangling them in a disordered web that immobilizes their target. However, to date, neither qualitative nor quantitative descriptions have been provided for this unique adaptation. Here we investigate the fast oscillatory motion of the oral papillae and the exiting liquid jet that oscillates with frequencies f similar to 30-60 Hz. Using anatomical images, high-speed videography, theoretical analysis and a physical simulacrum, we show that this fast oscillatory motion is the result of an elastohydrodynamic instability driven by the interplay between the elasticity of oral papillae and the fast unsteady flow during squirting. Our results demonstrate how passive strategies can be cleverly harnessed by organisms, while suggesting future oscillating microfluidic devices, as well as novel ways for micro and nanofibre production using bioinspired strategies. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/02969-6 - Sistemática e análise filogenética de Epiperipatus Clark, 1913 baseada em dados moleculares e morfológicos (Onychophora: Peripatidae)
• Beneficiário: Ricardo Pinto da Rocha
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 11/20211-0 - Sistemática e análise filogenética de Epiperipatus Clark, 1913 baseada em dados moleculares e morfológicos (Onychophora, Peripatidae)
• Beneficiário: Cristiano Sampaio Costa
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado