Attachment Devices of Insect Cuticle. Cet article n’est pas disponible.Attachment Devices of Insect Cuticle

In 1974 when I published my book, Biological Mechanism of Attachment, not many pages were required to report on the attachment devices of insect cuticles. As in most fields of research, our knowledge on this specific subject has simply exploded. Dr. Stanislav N. Gorb now describes the present day level of our knowledge, to which he has personally contributed so much, and a research team working on biological microtribology has gradually developed, also. With modern methods of measurement it is possible to enter the structure - function relationship much more deeply, even down to a molecular level, which was not possible two and a half decades ago. It is a well known fact that, in biology, the more sophisticated the measuring method, the greater the achievement of biological fundamental research, and its resulting evidence. Our knowledge remains at a certain level until new methods once more permit a forward leap. Biological knowledge develops in the form of a stepped curve rather than linear, as reflected in the studies carried out on the attachment devices of insect cuticles.

Throughout their evolution, living creatures have developed systems to attach themselves to a variety of substrate textures. As is the case in many technical systems, animals use friction and adhesion to generate an attachment force for overcoming drag. In recent decades, our knowledge of such systems has greatly increased. This volume summarizes more than 10 years of ultra structural and experimental studies on insect attachment systems and presents an up-to-date overview of this subject. Many examples are presented and the general rules of the interrelationship between the construction of attachment systems and the function are outlined showing the principles of morphology and ultra structure of such systems. The principles of design involved in the attachment systems described may inspire new ideas relating to the biomimetics of new surface-active materials. Audience: This volume provides an excellent introduction to biological attachment and will be of interest to biologist, zoologist, materials scientists and engineers.