Humidity affects the extensibility of an orb-weaving spider's viscous thread droplets

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dc.contributor.authorOpell, Brent D.en
dc.contributor.authorKarinshak, Shannon E.en
dc.contributor.authorSigler, Mary A.en
dc.contributor.departmentBiological Sciencesen
dc.date.accessed2014-02-04en
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-07T18:29:40Zen
dc.date.available2014-02-07T18:29:40Zen
dc.date.issued2011-09en
dc.description.abstractThe prey-capture threads found in most spider orb webs rely on viscous droplets for their stickiness. Each droplet is formed of a central mass of viscoelastic glycoprotein glue surrounded by an aqueous covering, both of which incorporate hydrophilic components. We found that the extensibility of droplets on Larinioides cornutus threads increased as humidity increased. However, the deflection of the droplets' supporting axial lines did not change, indicating that atmospheric water uptake increases glycoprotein plasticity, but not glycoprotein adhesion. The extensibility of droplets, along with that of the thread's supporting axial fibers, is responsible for summing the adhesion of multiple thread droplets. Therefore, daily changes in humidity have the potential to significantly alter the performance of viscous threads and orb webs.en
dc.identifier.citationOpell, Brent D.; Karinshak, Shannon E.; Sigler, Mary A., "Humidity affects the extensibility of an orb-weaving spider's viscous thread droplets," J Exp Biol 214, 2988-2993 (2011); doi: 10.1242/_jeb.055996en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.055996en
dc.identifier.issn0022-0949en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/25341en
dc.identifier.urlhttp://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/17/2988.full.pdf+htmlen
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherCompany of Biologists Ltd.en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectAraneoideaen
dc.subjectbiomaterialen
dc.subjectglycoproteinen
dc.subjecthygroscopicen
dc.subjectLarinioides cornutusen
dc.subjectAMPULLATE SILK FIBERSen
dc.subjectCAPTURE THREADSen
dc.subjectMECHANICAL-PROPERTIESen
dc.subjectSPUNen
dc.subjectWEBen
dc.subjectADHESIONen
dc.subjectWATERen
dc.titleHumidity affects the extensibility of an orb-weaving spider's viscous thread dropletsen
dc.title.serialJournal of Experimental Biologyen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden

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