Fischer H, Kutsch W
School of Biology, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Bute Medical Building, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, Scotland.
J Exp Biol. 2000 Sep;203(Pt 18):2723-35. doi: 10.1242/jeb.203.18.2723.
Little information is available about how the adult locust flight system manages to match the aerodynamic demands that result from an increase in body mass during postmoult maturation. In Schistocerca gregaria of both sexes, flight variables, including flight speed, ascent angle and body angle, were investigated under closed-loop conditions (i.e. during free flight) as a function of adult maturation. Motor patterns were examined by telemetric electromyography in juvenile and adult mature animals of both sexes. Functional relationships between particular flight variables were investigated by additional loading of the animals and by reductions in wing area. The results indicate that an increase in flight speed as the flight system matures enables it to match the aerodynamic demands resulting from increases in body mass. Furthermore, the data suggest that this postmoult increase in flight speed is not simply a consequence of the increase in wingbeat frequency observed during maturation. The instantaneous body angle during flight is controlled mainly by aerodynamic output from the wings. In addition, the mean body angle decreases during maturation in both sexes, and this may play an important part in the directional control of the resultant flight force vector.
关于成年蝗虫飞行系统如何应对蜕皮后成熟过程中体重增加所带来的空气动力学需求，目前所知甚少。在两性的沙漠飞蝗中，研究了包括飞行速度、上升角度和身体角度在内的飞行变量在闭环条件下（即自由飞行期间）作为成年成熟度的函数。通过遥测肌电图检查了两性幼年和成年成熟动物的运动模式。通过额外加载动物和减小翅膀面积，研究了特定飞行变量之间的功能关系。结果表明，随着飞行系统的成熟，飞行速度的增加使其能够应对体重增加所带来的空气动力学需求。此外，数据表明，蜕皮后飞行速度的增加不仅仅是成熟过程中观察到的翅膀拍动频率增加的结果。飞行过程中的瞬时身体角度主要由翅膀的空气动力学输出控制。此外，两性在成熟过程中平均身体角度都会减小，这可能在合成飞行动力矢量的方向控制中起重要作用。
