Interleg coordination in free-walking bug Erthesina fullo (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Abstract

Insects can adapt their walking patterns to complex and varied environments and retain the ability to walk even after significant changes in their physical attributes, such as amputation. Although the interleg coordination of intact insects has been widely described in previous studies, the adaptive walking patterns in free-walking insects with amputation of 1 or more legs are still unclear. The pentatomid bug Erthesina fullo exhibits a tripod gait, when walking freely on horizontal substrates, like many other insects. In this study, amputations were performed on this species to investigate changes in interleg coordination. The walking parameters were analyzed, such as the locations of touchdown and liftoff, cycle period, walking speed, and head displacement of intact and amputated insects. The results show that E. fullo displays adaptive interleg coordination in response to amputations. With 1 amputated leg, bugs changed to a 3-unit gait, whereas with 2 amputated legs they employed a wave gait. These data are helpful in exploring the motion mode control in walking insects and provide the theoretical basis for the gait control strategy of robots, when leg failure occurs.