Haltere removal alters responses to gravity in standing flies

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.181719
• Publication Date: 2018-05-31T15:41:26Z
• Authors: Kathryn Daltorio; Jessica Fox
• Keywords: Weightlessness

Animals detect the force of gravity with multiple sensory organs, from subcutaneous receptors at body joints to specialized sensors like vertebrate inner ear. The halteres flies, mechanoreceptive organs derived hindwings, are known rotations during flight, and some groups flies also oscillate their while walking. dynamics such that they could act as detectors for standing on substrates, but utility non-flight behaviors is not known. We observed intact haltere-ablated walking perturbations in which acceleration due suddenly changed. found necessary maintain normal speeds vertical surfaces respond sudden changes gravity. Our results suggest can serve purposes different behaviors, expanding role beyond canonical use flight.