From the larva to the adult – morphology and material composition of the mouthparts in Odonatafocusing on biomechanics and ontogeny

蜻蜓是水生幼虫和成虫的重要捕食者。因此，它们的口器高度专业化，适应了捕食者的生活方式。dfg资助的项目（BU 3169 / 1-1）目前正在详细研究幼虫口器的生物力学，初步结果为角质层的3D形态、运动学和材料组成的相互作用提供了迷人的见解。在这个后续项目中，我们希望提供对个体发生和孵化过程的见解，以了解成虫的口器，这是该项目的重点。这涉及形态，材料组成和性能，以及口器在喂饲过程的运动学背景下的生物力学。我们特别感兴趣的是角质层的物质组成，特别是弹性蛋白的存在，对口器的功能有多大的重要性。各种形态学方法，如x射线断层扫描，荧光显微镜和现代冷冻扫描电子显微镜和高速摄像将帮助我们了解这些结构背后的功能原理。生物力学特性，如阻尼、冲击吸收和相关的耐磨性增加或疲劳的改善，通常与角质层中弹性蛋白的存在有关，将通过有限元建模方法进行测试。此外，我们将利用荧光显微镜确定的角质层中的材料成分，作为靶向纳米压痕的模板，准备一份工作方案。在这里，它将有可能定位和具体确定角质层的材料特性。该方法将在以后用于改进有限元模型，增加其信息价值。将进行进一步的测试，以确定这些模型的标准简化是否会影响其有效性。总的来说，该项目将为未来的技术应用提供非常有用的信息，例如机器人或相关的仿生领域。此外，它还使我们对齿蜥的进化和生态形态有了重要的了解。

Odonata (dragonflies) are important predators both as aquatic larvae and as flying adults. Their mouthparts are therefore highly specialized and adapted to the lifestyle of a predator. The DFG-funded project (BU 3169 / 1-1) is currently in detail investigating the biomechanics of larval mouthparts and first results provide fascinating insights into the interplay of 3D morphology, kinematics and material composition of the cuticle. In this follow-up project, we want to provide insights into the ontogeny and the hatching process to draw a bow to the mouthparts of the adult which are the focus of the project. This involves the morphology, material composition and properties as well as the biomechanics of the mouthparts in the context of the kinematics of the feeding process. In particular, we are interested in the degree to which the material composition of the cuticle, especially the presence of resilin, is important for the functioning of the mouthparts. Various morphological methods such as X-ray tomography, fluorescence microscopy and modern cryo-scanning electron microscopy and high-speed videography will help us understand the functional principles behind these structures. Biomechanical peculiarities such as damping, impact absorption and associated increase in wear resistance or improvements in the fatigue, which are often associated with the presence of resilin in the cuticle, are to be tested by finite element modeling approaches. In addition, a work protocol will be prepared to use the material composition in the cuticle, which we determine with fluorescence microscopy, as a template for targeted nanoindentation. Here it will be possible to localize and specifically determine material properties of the cuticle. This method will be used later to improve finite element models and increase their informative value. Further tests to determine whether the standard simplification of these models has an influence on their validity will be carried out.In its entirety, the project will provide extremely useful information for future technical applications, such as in robotics or related biomimetic fields. In addition, it allows us to gain important insights into the evolution and eco-morphology of the Odonata.