Attachment devices of insect cuticle

Throughout their evolution, living creatures have developed systems to attach themselves to a variety of substrate textures.

As is the case in many technical systems, animals use friction and adhesion to generate an attachment force for overcoming drag.

In recent decades, our knowledge of such systems has greatly increased.

This volume summarizes more than 10 years of ultra structural and experimental studies on insect attachment systems and presents an up-to-date overview of this subject.

Many examples are presented and the general rules of the interrelationship between the construction of attachment systems and the function are outlined showing the principles of morphology and ultra structure of such systems.

The principles of design involved in the attachment systems described may inspire new ideas relating to the biomimetics of new surface-active materials.

Audience: This volume provides an excellent introduction to biological attachment and will be of interest to biologist, zoologist, materials scientists and engineers.