Insects evolved various modifications to their mouthparts, allowing for a broad exploration of
feeding modes. In ants, workers perform non-reproductive tasks like excavation, food …

Mandible morphology has an essential role in biting performance, but the mandible cuticle
can have regional differences in its mechanical properties. The effects of such a …

The radula, a chitinous membrane spiked with teeth, is the molluscan autapomorphy for the
gathering and processing of food. The teeth, as actual interfaces between the organism and …

Rapid genitalia evolution is believed to be mainly driven by sexual selection. Recently,
noncopulatory genital functions have been suggested to exert stronger selection pressure …

Ants show remarkable ecological and evolutionary success due to their social life history
and division of labour among colony members. In some lineages, the worker force became …

Coevolution of male and female genitalia is widespread in animals. Nevertheless, few
studies have examined the mechanics of genital interactions during mating. We …

Insect cuticle can reach a wide range of material properties, which is thought to be the result
of adaptations to applied mechanical stresses. Biomechanical mechanisms behind these …

The necessity to capture and process food represents a relevant evolutionary pressure.
Insects are incredibly diverse, showing several feeding modes and their associated …

The diversity of insects can be explained by their ability to establish various ecological
niches, which includes the foraging from diverse sources. The cuticle-based feeding …