Miniature featherwing beetles fly at speeds and accelerations exceeding those of insects three times their size. This study investigates the underlying mechanisms using three-dimensional reconstructions of morphology and kinematics in *Paratuposa placentis*. The beetles employ a unique figure-of-eight wing-motion cycle with subperpendicular up and down strokes and claps at stroke reversals. Light, bristled wings, along with elytra acting as inertial brakes, minimize power requirements and enable high performance despite their small size.
Publisher
Nature
Published On
Feb 03, 2022
Authors
Sergey E. Farisenkov, Dmitry Kolomenskiy, Pyotr N. Petrov, Thomas Engels, Nadezhda A. Lapina, Fritz-Olaf Lehmann, Ryo Onishi, Hao Liu, Alexey A. Polilov
Tags
beetles
flight mechanics
morphology
kinematics
wing motion
insect physiology
aerodynamics
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