Beetles Coleoptera Locking Mechanism Of The Micro-geometry And The Connection Strength

The locking mechanics of beetles between forewings and forewing to abdomen are skillful and high-efficient. This thesis focus on dung beetle Catharsius molossus (Linnaeus) in addition to some other kinds of beetles and studied the morphology of the elytron-locking fields of them by using stero-microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. A bristle-based coupling structure was observed on the surface of the elytron-locking fields.An analysis by synthesis on the locking mechanics between right and left elytron of seventeen species of beetles which belong to ten families respectively has been done. A double tongue-and-groove joint between the right and left elytra in coleoptera was observed ubiquitously through the slices of the abdomen-medial field of elytra. According to the mensuration we have done for the elytron-locking strength of linkage, Protaetia (Liocola) brevitarsis (Lewis) has the strongest elytron-locking devices. The microtriches were found very important for the elytron-locking devices when they are working.During the investigation about the elytron-locking devices' control mechanism, it is found passive for the elytron-locking devices of beetles to work. Only when it is suffering forces from outside the beetle strengthen it's elytron-locking devices automatically or initiatively to protect it's body from spoiling. This kind of working approves the superiority of beetles' elytron-locking devices in high-efficiency and energy-saving.All of the results set up a basis for the further bionic design.