The stomatopod dactyl club: A formidable damage-tolerant biological hammer
Weaver, J.C.; Milliron, G.W.; Miserez, A.; Evans-Lutterodt, K.; Herrera, S.; Gallana, I.; Mershon, W.J.; Swanson, B.; Zavattieri, P.; DiMasi, E.; Kisailus, D. (2012). The stomatopod dactyl club: A formidable damage-tolerant biological hammer. Science (Wash.) 336(6086): 1275-1280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1218764
In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, more
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Authors | | Top |
- Weaver, J.C.
- Milliron, G.W.
- Miserez, A.
- Evans-Lutterodt, K.
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- Herrera, S.
- Gallana, I.
- Mershon, W.J.
- Swanson, B.
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- Zavattieri, P.
- DiMasi, E.
- Kisailus, D.
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Abstract |
Nature has evolved efficient strategies to synthesize complex mineralized structures that exhibit exceptional damage tolerance. One such example is found in the hypermineralized hammer-like dactyl clubs of the stomatopods, a group of highly aggressive marine crustaceans. The dactyl clubs from one species, Odontodactylus scyllarus, exhibit an impressive set of characteristics adapted for surviving high-velocity impacts on the heavily mineralized prey on which they feed. Consisting of a multiphase composite of oriented crystalline hydroxyapatite and amorphous calcium phosphate and carbonate, in conjunction with a highly expanded helicoidal organization of the fibrillar chitinous organic matrix, these structures display several effective lines of defense against catastrophic failure during repetitive high-energy loading events. |
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