A5053778639- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Robotic Locomotion and Control
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Ear Surgery and Otitis Media
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Nasal Surgery and Airway Studies
- Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques
- Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
University of Antwerp
2014-2023
Two methods are especially suited for tomographic imaging with histological detail of macroscopic samples that consist multiple tissue types (bone, muscle, nerve or fat): Light sheet (based) fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Micro-CT requires staining heavy chemical elements (and thus fixation sometimes dehydration) in order to make soft imageable when measured alongside denser structures. LSMF fixation, decalcification, dehydration, clearing a...
In the stag beetle family (Lucanidae), males have diverged from females by sexual selection. The fight each other for mating opportunities with their enlarged mandibles. It is known that owners of larger fighting apparatuses are favoured to win male–male fights, but it was unclear whether male beetles also need produce high bite forces while grabbing and lifting opponents in fights. We show Cyclommatus metallifer three times as forcefully females. This not entirely unexpected given...
Summary In many animal species, male armature has evolved through sexual selection. This weaponry can increase reproductive success, but only if the owner overcomes associated costs. Male stag beetles bear one of most extreme examples weaponry: their mandibles be almost as long own body. We question whether Cyclommatus metallifer negatively affects terrestrial locomotion (stability and cost). If so, we investigate these effects are potentially compensated by morphological and/or behavioural...
Male stag beetles have evolved extremely large mandibles in a wide range of extraordinary shapes. These function as weaponry pugnacious fights for females. The robust Cyclommatus metallifer are long their own body and enlarged head houses massive, hypertrophied musculature. Owing to this disproportional weaponry, trade-offs exist with terrestrial locomotion: running is unstable approximately 40% more costly. Therefore, flying most probably essential cover larger distances towards females...
Male stag beetles carry large and heavy mandibles that arose through sexual selection over mating rights. Although the of Cyclommatus metallifer males are used in pugnacious fights, they surprisingly slender. Our bite force measurements show a muscle reduction 18% for tip biting when compared with bites teeth located halfway along mandibles. This suggests behavioural adaptation to prevent failure. We confirmed this by constructing finite-element (FE) models mimic both natural situations as...
Abstract Foraging mode plays a pivotal role in traditional reconstructions of squamate evolution. Transitions between modes are said to spark concerted changes the morphology, physiology, behaviour, and life history lizards. With respect their sensory systems, species that adopt sit-and-wait strategy thought rely on visual cues primarily, while actively hunting would predominantly use chemical information. The morphology tongue vomeronasal-organs is believed mirror this dichotomy. Still,...
ABSTRACT Locomotion is one of the most important ecological functions in animals. Precocial animals, such as pigs, are capable independent locomotion shortly after birth. This raises question whether coordinated movement patterns and underlying muscular control these animals fully innate or there still exists a rapid maturation. We addressed this by studying gait development neonatal pigs through analysis spatio-temporal characteristics during at self-selected speed. To end, we made video...
The jaws of different species stag beetles show a large variety shapes and sizes. male are used as weapons in fights, they may exert very forceful bite some species. We investigated 16 whether how the forcefulness their is reflected jaw morphology. found range maximal muscle forces (1.8-33 N; factor 18). Species investing muscles also have disproportionately volumes. They use this additional volume to elongate jaws, increasing chances winning battles. fact that decreases mechanical advantage...
We investigated how baboons transition from quadrupedal to bipedal walking without any significant interruption in their forward movement (i.e. 'on the fly'). Building on basic mechanical principles (momentum only changes when external forces/moments act body), insights into possible strategies for such a dynamical mode are provided and applied first recorded planar kinematics of an example sequence (including several continuous quadrupedal, subsequent steps). Body dynamics calculated...
Designing very robust structures in an efficient way is a reoccurring challenge engineering. For male stag beetle weaponry, the solution to this problem was evolved by natural and sexual selection. Stag armature adapted perform under extreme circumstances: beetles fight pugnacious battles over females, using their extremely large jaws as ferocious weapons. During violent encounters, these have withstand forces with wide range of unpredictable directions at several application points. We...
Substrate variations are likely to constrain animal performance in natural environments, as running over complex terrains challenges the dynamic stability of body differently each step. Yet, being able negotiate at top speed is a strong advantage for animals that have deal with predators and evasive prey. Little known on how such terrain variability high speed. We investigated this fast-running Acanthodactylus boskianus lizards, by measuring their 3D kinematics using four synchronised...
Abstract While running, small animals frequently encounter large terrain variations relative to their body size, therefore, impose important functional demands on animals. Nonetheless, we have previously observed in lizards that running specialists can maintain a surprisingly good performance very uneven terrains. The relatively are offset by capacity for leg adjustability ensures ‘smooth ride’ of the centre mass (CoM). question as how effect an and locomotor costs differs between species...
Abstract The semi-circular canals in the inner ear sense head rotations. It is widely recognised that anatomy of often adapted to species-specific agility, order provide necessary sensitivity. Based on research mammals, ellipticity canal was so far considered as a non-important factor herein. A dataset 125 squamate species and 156 mammalian species, now shows posterior squamates much more elliptical (eccentricities ranging between 0.76 0.94) than mammals 0 0.71). Fluid-Structure Interaction...
The vestibular system is crucial for movement control during locomotion. As the dimensions of determine fluid dynamics endolymph and, as such, system's function, we investigate interaction between size, head size and microhabitat use in lizards. We grouped 24 lacertid species three types, acquired three-dimensional models bony systems using micro-computer tomography scanning, performed linear surface measurements. All measurements scale with a negative allometry suggesting that smaller heads...
Shape variation in the vestibular system is often linked to microhabitat structure and locomotor performance. Highly circular orthogonal semicircular canal pairs are higher motion sensitivity. Here, we use 3D geometric morphometrics investigate shape within lacertid lizards its relationship balance control. We found that lacertids living complex microhabitats possess narrow but longer systems, an S-shaped anterior canal, a straightened lateral short common crus. However, specialized for...
Abstract Background Lightless caves can harbour a wide range of living organisms. Cave animals have evolved set morphological, physiological, and behavioural adaptations known as troglomorphisms, enabling their survival in the perpetual darkness, narrow temperature humidity ranges, nutrient scarcity subterranean environment. In this study, we focused on skull shape sensory systems blind cave salamander, Proteus anguinus, also olm or simply proteus—the largest tetrapod only European amphibian...
The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role balance and gaze stabilisation by sensing head movements. interconnected tubes with membranous walls of system are skull bone (the 'membranous labyrinth'). Unfortunately, these membranes very hard to visualise using three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging techniques. This difficulty arises due embedment dense bone, thinness membranes, small difference absorption between surrounding fluid. In this study, we compared...
Head accelerations are sensed by the vestibular system in inner ear. Linear stimulate otolith organs, while semicircular canals (SCC) sense angular accelerations. Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) models of cupula sensor (simulated with finite element method (FEM)) and endolymph fluid computational dynamics (CFD)) canal offer possibility to investigate why SCC not stimulated linear Two hypotheses exist literature. The first hypothesis focusses on density SCC, second is based continuous loop...