Universität zu Köln

Weihmann, Tom ORCID: 0000-0002-6628-1816, Brun, Pierre-Guillaume and Pycroft, Emily (2017). Speed dependent phase shifts and gait changes in cockroaches running on substrates of different slipperiness. Front. Zool., 14. LONDON: BIOMED CENTRAL LTD. ISSN 1742-9994

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Abstract

Background: Many legged animals change gaits when increasing speed. In insects, only one gait change has been documented so far, from slow walking to fast running, which is characterised by an alternating tripod. Studies on some fast-running insects suggested a further gait change at higher running speeds. Apart from speed, insect gaits and leg co-ordination have been shown to be influenced by substrate properties, but the detailed effects of speed and substrate on gait changes are still unclear. Here we investigate high-speed locomotion and gait changes of the cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea, on two substrates of different slipperiness. Results: Analyses of leg co-ordination and body oscillations for straight and steady escape runs revealed that at high speeds, blaberid cockroaches changed from an alternating tripod to a rather metachronal gait, which to our knowledge, has not been described before for terrestrial arthropods. Despite low duty factors, this new gait is characterised by low vertical amplitudes of the centre of mass (COM), low vertical accelerations and presumably reduced total vertical peak forces. However, lateral amplitudes and accelerations were higher in the faster gait with reduced leg synchronisation than in the tripod gait with distinct leg synchronisation. Conclusions: Temporally distributed leg force application as resulting from metachronal leg coordination at high running speeds may be particularly useful in animals with limited capabilities for elastic energy storage within the legs, as energy efficiency can be increased without the need for elasticity in the legs. It may also facilitate locomotion on slippery surfaces, which usually reduce leg force transmission to the ground. Moreover, increased temporal overlap of the stance phases of the legs likely improves locomotion control, which might result in a higher dynamic stability.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Weihmann, Tom UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-6628-1816 UNSPECIFIED Brun, Pierre-Guillaume UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Pycroft, Emily UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-208118
DOI:	10.1186/s12983-017-0232-y
Journal or Publication Title:	Front. Zool.
Volume:	14
Date:	2017
Publisher:	BIOMED CENTRAL LTD
Place of Publication:	LONDON
ISSN:	1742-9994
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language ENERGY-SAVING MECHANISMS; LEGGED LOCOMOTION; TERRESTRIAL LOCOMOTION; PERIPLANETA-AMERICANA; HEXAPEDAL RUNNERS; CARAUSIUS-MOROSUS; STRIDE FREQUENCY; HORIZONTAL PLANE; KINETIC-ENERGY; STICK INSECT Multiple languages Zoology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/20811