Adult damselflies are a spectacular vision of summer, streaking through the air above pond surfaces. Yet survival through their earlier aquatic life stages is extremely precarious. Equipped with leaf-like lamellae hinged at the end of the abdomen for propulsion, the structures provide the perfect appendages for passing predators to grab onto. But the larval insects have a self-preservation mechanism that helps them to escape hungry predators: they self amputate – autotomize – trapped lamellae. Jennifer Gleason, Douglas Fudge and Beren Robinson from the University of Guelph, Canada, explain that the ability of a larva to shed its lamellae with ease improves its chances of survival, which might lead larvae that inhabit heavily predated waters to develop relatively fragile lamellar joints to increase their chances of survival (p. 185). To test the theory, the Canadians measured the force required to break damselfly larvae lamellar joints, as well as the size and cuticle thickness of the joint. They discovered that the joints of damselfly larvae from fishless ponds – where carnivorous dragonfly larvae flourish – were much more fragile than the joints of larvae from ponds where there were few dragonfly larvae. ‘This suggests that autotomy may evolve in larval damselflies under selection from small grasping predators like larval dragonflies by favouring smaller joint size or reduced cuticle area of lamellae joints’, says the team.
Damselfly larvae select quick release lamellae for survival
Kathryn Knight; Damselfly larvae select quick release lamellae for survival. J Exp Biol 15 January 2014; 217 (2): 159. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.101220
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Special Issue: The Integrative Biology of the Heart
Our latest Special Issue – The integrative Biology of the Heart – collates Research Articles, Reviews and Commentaries that consider cardiac biology at all levels of organisation. Guest edited by William Joyce and Holly Shiels, the papers address questions regarding cardiac plasticity, development and evolution in both vertebrates and invertebrates.
Sensory perception in a changing world – join us in Liverpool in March 2025
We are excited to invite you to a unique scientific conference, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of The Company of Biologists, and bringing together our different communities. The conference will incorporate the JEB Symposium Sensory Perception in a Changing World and the SEB satellite meeting. Find out more and register to join us in March 2025 in Liverpool, UK. Submit your abstract by 13 December 2024. Early-bird registration ends on 17 January 2025.
Extraordinary creatures: raptors
In our new Conversation focusing on extraordinary creatures, Simon Potier tells us about raptors, from peregrine falcons and eagles to vultures and owls, discussing their lifestyles, incredible sensory abilities and conservation successes.
Creating more realistic conditions for in vitro research on the fish GI
In this Commentary, Carol Bucking and colleagues discuss the issues associated with replicating in vivo conditions of the teleost gastrointestinal (GI) tract in in vitro work, and identify solutions and areas of improvement. Mimicking realistic GI conditions has the potential to greatly improve our knowledge on basic fish gut physiology.
Crude oil destroys sea otter buoyancy
The sight of animals slathered in crude oil is immensely distressing and now Kate Riordan & colleagues reveal that oil pollution decimates sea otter buoyancy and how cleaning them with detergent only partially restores the otters' ability to float.