Cockroaches are one of the hardiest insects that have survived on this planet for millions of
years. They thrive in unhygienic environments, are able to survive without food for up to 30 …

From soil to freshwater ecosystems, decomposition can be conceived as the result of
interactions between organic matter and a diversity of organisms. This function is driven in …

The extraordinary success of social insects is partially based on division of labour, ie
individuals exclusively or preferentially perform specific tasks. Task preference may …

Bite forces play a key role in animal ecology: they affect mating behaviour, fighting success,
and the ability to feed. Although feeding habits of arthropods have a significant ecological …

Insects have evolved unique structures that host a diversity of material and mechanical
properties, and the mouthparts (proboscis) of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are no …

Atta leaf-cutter ants are the prime herbivore in the Neotropics: differently sized foragers
harvest plant material to grow a fungus as a crop. Efficient foraging involves complex …

Insects use their mandibles for a variety of tasks, including food processing, material
transport, nest building, brood care, and fighting. Despite this functional diversity, mandible …

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 …

Insect mouthparts are modified appendages of head segments that are adapted to exploit
different food sources. This chapter describes the general mouthpart morphology of …

Animal closing forces such as bite and pinch forces may determine access to food and
mates and are therefore important performance metrics related to fitness. Previous …