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Title: Asynchronous haltere input drives specific wing and head movements in Drosophila
Halteres are multifunctional mechanosensory organs unique to the true flies (Diptera). A set of reduced hindwings, the halteres beat at the same frequency as the lift-generating forewings and sense inertial forces via mechanosensory campaniform sensilla. Though haltere ablation makes stable flight impossible, the specific role of wing-synchronous input has not been established. Using small iron filings attached to the halteres of tethered flies and an alternating electromagnetic field, we experimentally decoupled the wings and halteres of flyingDrosophilaand observed the resulting changes in wingbeat amplitude and head orientation. We find that asynchronous haltere input results in fast amplitude changes in the wing (hitches), but does not appreciably move the head. In multi-modal experiments, we find that wing and gaze optomotor responses are disrupted differently by asynchronous input. These effects of wing-asynchronous haltere input suggest that specific sensory information is necessary for maintaining wing amplitude stability and adaptive gaze control.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1754412
PAR ID:
10516297
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Royal Society
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume:
291
Issue:
2024
ISSN:
1471-2954
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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