A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Carapace surface architecture facilitates camouflage of the decorator crab Tiarinia cornigera
Authors: Sanka I, Suyono EA, Rivero-Muller A, Alam P
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication year: 2016
Journal: Acta Biomaterialia
Journal name in source: ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
Journal acronym: ACTA BIOMATER
Volume: 41
First page : 52
Last page: 59
Number of pages: 8
ISSN: 1742-7061
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2016.05.021
Abstract
This paper elucidates the unique setal morphology of the decorator crab Tiarinia cornigera, and further presents evidence to that setal morphology promotes micro-organism nucleation and adhesion. The carapace of this crab is covered by clusters of setae, each comprising a hollow acicular stem that is enveloped by a haystack-like structure. Using computational fluid dynamics, we find that these setae are responsible for manipulating water flow over the carapace surface. Micro-organisms in the sea water, nest in areas of flow stagnation and as a result, nucleate to and biofoul the setae by means of chemical adhesion. Attached micro-organisms secrete extracellular polymeric substances, which we deduce must also provide an additional element of chemical adhesion to mechanically interlocked mesoscopic and macroscopic biomatter. By coupling physical and chemical methods for adhesion, T. cornigera is able to hierarchically decorate its carapace.
This paper elucidates the unique setal morphology of the decorator crab Tiarinia cornigera, and further presents evidence to that setal morphology promotes micro-organism nucleation and adhesion. The carapace of this crab is covered by clusters of setae, each comprising a hollow acicular stem that is enveloped by a haystack-like structure. Using computational fluid dynamics, we find that these setae are responsible for manipulating water flow over the carapace surface. Micro-organisms in the sea water, nest in areas of flow stagnation and as a result, nucleate to and biofoul the setae by means of chemical adhesion. Attached micro-organisms secrete extracellular polymeric substances, which we deduce must also provide an additional element of chemical adhesion to mechanically interlocked mesoscopic and macroscopic biomatter. By coupling physical and chemical methods for adhesion, T. cornigera is able to hierarchically decorate its carapace.
UTU Research Portal