Antenna provides selective hearing: fruit fly

1 of 1 Fruit fly; feathery arista seen on right / Tiziano Barb.. / License

The antenna of a fruit fly is used for selective hearing thanks to its multi-part, swiveling structure.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Process information >
	Sense signals/environmental cues >
	Sound and other vibrations

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Increase sensitivity of hearing for directional or intermittent use.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"The fly Drosophila melanogaster has very small hearing organs each of which consists of 3 antennal segments and a feather-like arista. These parts constitute together the sound receiver. When a desired sound is heard, the arista rotates one of the antennas and penetrates a hook into the second antenna (the internal one) and stretches the auditory receptors. At such conditions the auditory receptors can function and enable hearing. Otherwise the Drosophila melanogaster hearing is prevented." (Collins 2004:170)

About the inspiring organism

Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830
[Fruit fly]

Some organism data provided by: BDWD: BioSystematic Database of World Diptera
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Increase sensitivity of hearing for directional or intermittent use.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Communications

References

Collins, M. 2004. Design and nature II: comparing design in nature with science and engineering. Southampton: WIT.

Göpfert, MC; Robert, D. 2001. Turning the key on Drosophila audition. Nature. 411(6840): 908.

Antenna provides selective hearing: fruit fly

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