TitleNeurobiology and biomechanics of flight in miniature insects.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsSane SP
JournalCurr Opin Neurobiol
Volume41
Pagination158-166
Date Published2016 Oct 4
ISSN1873-6882
Abstract

Miniature insects can be as small as a few hundred micrometres in size, making them among the smallest metazoan animals ever described. Yet, even at these length scales, they display remarkably sophisticated flight behaviours. For flight at such low Reynolds numbers, miniature insects have evolved biomechanical and neural adaptations that push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of physics and neurobiology of flight. After several decades of relative dormancy, this question has recently been revisited by researchers working in diverse areas ranging from systematics and neurobiology to dispersal behaviours. In this review, I cover recent findings in this area, and point towards the many open questions that still remain unanswered.

DOI10.1016/j.conb.2016.09.008
Alternate JournalCurr. Opin. Neurobiol.
PubMed ID27716577