Adhesion occurs in varying conditions: keyhole limpet

1 of 1 Keyhole limpet / Edward T. Ba.. / License

The body of keyhole limpets attaches to tidal zone substrates in varying conditions via a dual mode attachment mechanism, using either suction or glue-like adhesion.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Attach >
	Permanently

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Dual system for adhesion of materials, temporary for adjustment and fitting, then permanent bonding. Moveable aquaculture pens; underwater robotic technologies for exploration, mine cleanups, or oil and gas spills.

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"The attachment mechanism used by limpets (Lottia) in the rocky, wave-swept intertidal zone of California was determined during high tide and low tide. The two mechanisms that limpets are known to use, suction and glue-like adhesion, were distinguished by measuring the limpets' attachment forces in shear and by staining for glue-like residues where the limpets had been attached. The results show that approximately equals 73% of limpets at high tide use suction, while the rest use glue-like adhesion. Conversely, approximately equals 75% of limpets at low tide use glue-like adhesion, while the rest use suction. The normal tenacity of limpets was also measured at high and low tide. The mean tenacity at high tide was significantly less than that at low tide. From these data it was estimated that the mean tenacity of glue-like adhesion is approximately equals 0.23 MN/sq m and the mean tenacity of suction adhesion is approximately equals 0.09 MN/sq m. It is hypothesized that the cycle of alternating attachment mechanisms is linked to the limpets foraging cycles." (Smith 1992:205)

"Naturally, nothing precludes an organism from using some combination of adhesive mechanisms; and determining relative contributions can be sticky…limpets use suction mainly when they need mobility, relying on glue rather than continuous muscular effort for longer term attachment (Ellem, Furst, and Zimmerman 2002). They don't, though, use Stefan adhesion (Smith 1992)." (Vogel 2003:429)

About the inspiring organism

rough keyhole limpet
Diodora aspera (Rathke, 1833)
[Rough keyhole limpet]

IUCN Red List Status: Unknown
Habitat(s): Marine Intertidal

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Dual system for adhesion of materials, temporary for adjustment and fitting, then permanent bonding. Moveable aquaculture pens; underwater robotic technologies for exploration, mine cleanups, or oil and gas spills.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Building, aerospace, medical, aquaculture, marine exploration, deep sea oil and gas

Experts

School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Gary K. Ellem John E. Furst Kenneth D. Zimmerman
University of Newcastle

References

Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.

Smith, A. M. 1992. Alternation between attachment mechanisms by limpets in the field. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 160(2): 205-220.

Ellem, Gary K.; Furst, John E.; Zimmerman, Kenneth D. 2002. Shell clamping behaviour in the limpet Cellana tramoserica. Journal of Experimental Biology. 205: 539-547.

Adhesion occurs in varying conditions: keyhole limpet

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