Thomas van de Kamp

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• Dr. rer. nat.; Dipl.-Biol.
• Researcher at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

The coxa-trochanteral joints on the legs of the weevil Trigonopterus oblongus (Pascoe) work as a biological screw-and-nut system. The apical portions of the coxae closely resemble nuts with well-defined inner threads covering 345°. The corresponding trochanters have perfectly compatible external spiral threads of 410°.

External and internal morphological characters of extant and fossil organisms are crucial to establishing their systematic position, ecological role and evolutionary trends. The lack of internal characters and soft-tissue preservation in many arthropod fossils, however, impedes comprehensive phylogenetic analyses and species descriptions according...

About 50% of all animal species are considered parasites. The linkage of species diversity to a parasitic lifestyle is especially evident in the insect order Hymenoptera. However, fossil evidence for host–parasitoid interactions is extremely rare, rendering hypotheses on the evolution of parasitism assumptive. Here, using high-throughput synchrotro...

We present Biomedisa, a free and easy-to-use open-source online platform developed for semi-automatic segmentation of large volumetric images. The segmentation is based on a smart interpolation of sparsely pre-segmented slices taking into account the complete underlying image data. Biomedisa is particularly valuable when little a priori knowledge i...

One key event in insect evolution was the development of mandibles with two joints, which allowed powerful biting but restricted their movement to a single degree of freedom. These mandibles define the Dicondylia, which constitute over 99% of all extant insect species. It was common doctrine that the dicondylic articulation of chewing mandibles rem...

Nasonia is an emerging model system for investigating the evolution of complex species-specific behavioral and morphological phenotypes. For example, the male head shape differs considerably between Nasonia Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) species. In addition, differences in courtship behaviors, and possibly influences of a male-specific aphrod...

Recent studies suggest that the joints of beetles and other insects comprise micro-structured surfaces in combination with lubricants. Here, we utilize friction force microscopy (FFM) to analyse the tribological properties of the femoro-tibial leg joints by the example of Coelorrhina aurata (metallic green flower beetle) and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (...

Here we describe a new specimen of Archaeopteryx sp. from the lower Tithonian Mörnsheim Formation in the Franconian Alb of Bavaria, Germany. This fossil is the third avialan specimen found in this formation. The skeleton comprises the right forelimb and shoulder as well as fragments of the left forelimb and both hind limbs. The lengths of the humer...

Here we describe a new specimen of Archaeopteryx sp. from the lower Tithonian Mörnsheim Formation in the Franconian Alb of Bavaria, Germany. This fossil is the third avialan specimen found in this formation. The skeleton comprises the right forelimb and shoulder as well as fragments of the left forelimb and both hind limbs. The lengths of the humer...

The Triassic was a key period in the evolution of vertebrates, and reptiles in particular, giving rise to a plethora of successful lineages, some of which are still extant. One of the groups that flourished during the early Mesozoic were the tanysaurians (Archosauromorpha: Tanysauria). They had elongate neck vertebrae that in some genera reached ex...

We present here the first-ever fossil flies from the family Deuterophlebiidae. The recent adults have an exceptionally brief lifespan, with males surviving only two hours. Their distinctive features include a complete reduction of mouthparts, and wing venation characterized by a dense net of false veins replacing most of true veins. Due to this dis...

Trait diversification is often driven by underlying performance tradeoffs in the context of different selective pressures. Evolutionary changes in task specialization may influence how species respond to tradeoffs and alter diversification. We conducted this study to investigate the functional morphology, evolutionary history, and tempo and mode of...

Although species evolve in response to many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, frequently one factor has a dominating influence on a given organ system. In this context, mouthpart shape and function are thought to correlate strongly with dietary niche and this was advocated for decades, e.g., for insects. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and allie...

The male genitalia of insects are among the most variable, complex, and informative character systems for evolutionary analysis and taxonomic purposes. Because of these general properties, many generations of systematists have struggled to develop a theory of homology and alignment of parts. This struggle continues to the present day, where fundame...

Turbinals are key bony elements of the mammalian nasal cavity, involved in heat and moisture conservation as well as olfaction. While turbinals are well known in some groups, their diversity is poorly understood at the scale of placental mammals, which span 21 orders. Here, we investigated the turbinal bones and associated lamellae for one represen...

Although the knowledge of the skeletal morphology of bees has progressed enormously, a corresponding advance has not happened for the muscular system. Most of the knowledge about bee musculature was generated over 50 years ago, well before the digital revolution for anatomical imaging, including the application of microcomputed tomography. This tec...

Lophotettiginae Hancock, 1909, endemic to the Neotropics, is one of the most ill-known subfamilies of Tetrigidae. Until now, there have not been any hypothesis on its relationship with other subfamilies. Lophotettiginae comprise only two genera, Lophotettix Hancock, 1909 and Phelene Bolívar, 1906, both with an arduous taxonomic history. Here, we de...

Insects optimize friction in their joints by combining microstructures with a—so far unknown—lubricant. To develop environmentally friendly lubricants, we research the sophisticated tribological system found in the joints of beetles. We characterize the lubricant as well as the microstructure of the joints to gain inspiration for the development of...

The study of insect morphology has recently benefited greatly from the emergence of new digital imaging and analysis technologies such as X-ray Micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), digital 3D reconstruction, and animation. Through interactive gaming and virtual reality, the external morphology of insects can be studied by a broad audience of both ento...

The study of insect morphology has recently benefited greatly from the emergence of new digital imaging and analysis technologies such as X-ray Micro-computed tomography (μ-CT), digital 3D reconstruction, and animation. Through interactive gaming and virtual reality, the external morphology of insects can be studied by a broad audience of both ento...

The development of an organism is orchestrated by the spatial and temporal expression of genes. Accurate visualisation of gene expression patterns in the context of the surrounding tissues offers a glimpse into the mechanisms that drive morphogenesis. We developed correlative light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and X-ray computed tomography approac...

So far, there has been no information of the pre-imaginal stages in the well-preserved fossil record of the Mecoptera. The first and well-preserved mecopteran larva was discovered in Eocene Baltic amber. The application of synchrotron X-ray microtomography enabled the reconstruction of the body structure with high accuracy, providing a comprehensiv...

Parasitism is ubiquitous across the tree of life, and parasites comprise approximately half of all animal species. Social insect colonies attract many pathogens, endo- and ectoparasites, and are exploited by social parasites, which usurp the social environment of their hosts for survival and reproduction. Exploitation by parasites and pathogens ver...

The male genitalia of the Insecta are famed for structural and functional diversity. Variation in this anatomical region shows ample phylogenetic signal, and this variation has proven indispensable for classification across the insects at multiple taxonomic ranks. However, in the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) the male genital phenotype is ancillar...

X-ray imaging enables the study of morphodynamic and physiological processes in living organisms. However, the required photon flux increases with the desired spatial resolution and with it the requirements for dose efficiency. We realize full-field imaging at micrometer resolution close to the highest possible dose efficiency. This is achieved by...

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), entomology can harness the potential of AI for biodiversity monitoring, insect sorting, and morphological analysis. AI-driven technologies promise to automate labor-intensive tasks and improve data analysis, but they also raise concerns about scientific integrity and the potential misuse of AI-generated c...

Background Mayflies are basal winged insects of crucial importance for the understanding of the early evolution of Pterygota. Unlike all other insects, they have two successive winged stages, the subimago and the imago. Their forewings feature so-called bullae, which are desclerotized spots in the anterior main veins. Up to now, they have been cons...

The development of an organism is orchestrated by the spatial and temporal expression of genes. Accurate visualisation of gene expression patterns in the context of the surrounding tissues offers a glimpse into the mechanisms that drive morphogenesis. We developed correlative light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and X-ray computed tomography approac...

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 processing, and juvenile care, relying heavily on their mandibles. Given the importance of biting for ant workers and the significant mandible morphological diversity acr...

Industrial biocatalysis plays an important role in the development of a sustainable economy, as enzymes can be used to synthesize an enormous range of complex molecules under environmentally friendly conditions. To further develop the field, intensive research is being conducted on process technologies for continuous flow biocatalysis in order to i...

Traumatic insemination refers to mating in which males pierce the female's integument with his penis for insemination. Strepsiptera are often listed as an example for this mode of copulation. However, while traumatic insemination in Mengenillidae with free-living females is undisputed, its occurrence in Stylopidia with permanent endoparasitic femal...

Traumatic insemination refers to mating in which males pierce the female’s integument with his penis for insemination. Strepsiptera are often listed as an example for this mode of copulation. However, while traumatic insemination in Mengenillidae with free-living females is undisputed, its occurrence in Stylopidia with permanent endoparasitic femal...

Within the well-studied Palearctic entomofauna, it is often assumed that the discovery of new species is limited to resolving cryptic species complexes within dark taxa. Herein, we describe a highly distinctive species of Aphanogmus Thomson, 1858 (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae) from Germany and provide a COI barcoding sequence for the new species. We...

For over a century, the metapleural gland, an exocrine gland above the hind coxa, has been thought to be a unique structure for ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and regarded as a catalyst for the ecological and evolutionary success of the family. This gland is one of the most researched exocrine glands in arthropods and its anatomy, ultrastructure,...

Although organ systems evolve in response to many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, frequently one factor has a dominating influence. For example, mouthpart shape and mechanics are thought to correlate strongly with aspects of the diet. Within insects, this paradigm of a shape-diet connection is advocated for decades but the relationship has so far...

A new fossil species of Dryinidae (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea) from upper Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine) is described: Bocchus rex sp. nov. It is compared with two other species of Bocchus known from European amber: B. primaevus Martins & Melo from Baltic amber and B. schmalhauseni Perkovsky, Olmi, Vasilenko, Capradossi & Guglielmino from Rovno amber....

Animation of the rotating segmented 3D model of Bocchus rex sp. nov., female, paratype (= specimen 2) based on SR-μCT data (perspective view; cf. Fig. 3; parts of the left antenna and the tarsus of the right hind leg are outside of the dataset). The cuticular elements are depicted in various shades of brown, whereas the cavity of the wasp in the am...

Female cephalothoraces of Stylops ovinae from mating experiments with males of Stylops melittae described in this study. (A, E, F) Female Stylops ovinae without mating sign after allospecific mating attempts. (B, C, D) Female Stylops ovinae with injurys from allospecific mating attempts. Abbreviation: ms – mating sign. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13655/sup...

Exemplary Penetration force curves for each of the four tested scenarios. (A) Control site of Stylops ovinae. (B) Wounding site of Stylops ovinae (C) Control site of Xenos vesparum. (D) Wounding site of Xenos vesparum. Star indicates penetration of either control or wounding site. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13655/supp-2

Traumatic insemination describes an unusual form of mating during which a male penetrates the body wall of its female partner to inject sperm. Females unable to prevent traumatic insemination have been predicted to develop either traits of tolerance or of resistance, both reducing the fitness costs associated with the male-inflicted injury. The evo...

Recent studies of insect anatomy evince a trend towards a comprehensive and integrative investigation of individual traits and their evolutionary relationships. The abdomen of ants, however, remains critically understudied. To address this shortcoming, we describe the abdominal anatomy of Amblyopone australis Erichson, using a multimodal approach c...

Fossils provide unique opportunity to understand the tempo and mode of evolution and are essential for modeling the history of lineage diversification. Here, we interrogate the Mesozoic fossil record of the Aculeata, with emphasis on the ants (Formicidae), and conduct an extended series of ancestral state estimation exercises on distributions of ti...

Table S1. Voucher specimens deposited at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart (SMNS).

Movie S2.

Movie S1.

A new species, Janzenella theia Bremer & Talamas, sp. nov., is described from Baltic amber, which is the second known species of the family Janzenellidae (Platygastroidea). Synchrotron scanning was performed to observe internal structures and external morphology that was occluded by turbidity in the amber matrix surrounding the specimen.

The extraordinary success of social insects is partially based on division of labour, i.e. individuals exclusively or preferentially perform specific tasks. Task preference may correlate with morphological adaptations so implying task specialization, but the extent of such specialization can be difficult to determine. Here, we demonstrate how the p...

The extraordinary success of social insects is partially based on "division of labour", i. e. individuals exclusively or preferentially perform specific tasks. Task-preference may correlate with morphological adaptations so implying task-specialisation, but the extent of such specialisation can be difficult to determine. Here, we demonstrate how th...

Most animals undergo ecological niche shifts between distinct life phases, but such shifts can result in adaptive conflicts of phenotypic traits. Metamorphosis can reduce these conflicts by breaking up trait correlations, allowing each life phase to independently adapt to its ecological niche. This process is called adaptive decoupling. It is, howe...

Spalangiopelta is a small genus of chalcid wasps that has received little attention despite the widespread distribution of its extant species. The fossil record of the genus is restricted to a single species from Miocene Dominican amber. We describe two new fossil species, Spalangiopelta darlingi sp. n. and Spalangiopelta semialba sp. n. from Balti...

Spiders use their inner body fluid ("blood" or hemolymph) to drive hydraulic extension of their legs. In hydraulic systems, performance is highly dependent on the working fluid, which needs to be chosen according to the required operating speed and pressure. Here, we provide new insights into the fluid mechanics of spider locomotion. We present the...

We report a hitherto unprecedented diversity of fly larvae (Diptera) from Eocene Baltic amber and the use of these to address palaeo-ecosystem functions and processes in the surrounding forests. Fly larvae have been considered exceptionally rare by the research community and have, like most insect larvae, been deemed of limited utility owing to cha...

Traditionally, entomologists have used destructive methods especially dissection in order to investigate the important taxonomic characters of specimens. New technologies for imaging and analyzing in taxonomy, offer opportunities to deposit three-dimensional (3D) data to proposed for rare and valuable type materials in museums and collections. Micr...

Ants are abundant, ecologically influential, and diverse eusocial Hymenoptera. The dominant narrative for their origin and radiation is that of E. O. Wilson and Bert Hölldobler, known as the "dynastic succession hypothesis". Wilson and Hölldobler contend that the crown (= extant) ants originated during the peak of the angiosperm radiation, ~110-100...

Direct fossil evidence for Mesozoic flower pollination is scarce. Umenocoleoid micro-cockroaches Lepidopterix vegrandis gen. et sp. n. (Lebanese amber) and Antophiloblatta hispida gen. et sp. n. (Myanmar amber) possess size, form, complex coloration pattern and surface structure, cryptic with potentially entomophilous angiosperms Tropidogyne pentap...

The study of animal morphology and anatomy is the bedrock of the biological sciences. For small animals, Classical and conventional methods such as histological methods, due to damage to the sample tissue and deformation of anatomy, don’t provide sufficient information to researchers. Using state-of-the-art methods especially microcomputed tomograp...

Background Suction organs provide powerful yet dynamic attachments for many aquatic animals, including octopus, squid, remora, and clingfish. While the functional morphology of suction organs from some cephalopods and fishes has been investigated in detail, there are only few studies on such attachment devices in insects. Here we characterise the m...

Thickened femora of insects are correlated to enlarged muscle masses and serve two basic purposes: jumping/kicking and grasping/holding. Modifications on the ventral femoral wall and the tibial flexor tendon that are possibly involved in catch mechanisms have been described in multiple insect taxa with both jumping and grasping legs. Our comparativ...

Suction organs provide powerful yet dynamic attachments for many aquatic animals, including octopus, squid, remora, and clingfish. While the functional morphology of suction organs from various cephalopods and fishes has been investigated in detail, there are only few studies on such attachment devices in insects. Here we characterise the morpholog...

Among some of the most unusual traits of the gasteruptiid wasps is their unique hovering flight and the expansion of their hind tibiae. Tibial expansions in female parasitoid hymenopterans often involve an enlarged sensory structure for vibration detection, the subgenual organ, thus enabling refined substrate-borne detection of concealed hosts. In...

Ceraphronoidea is composed of two, seemingly well-defined families, Ceraphronidae and Megaspilidae. The position of Trassedia Cancemi 1996 within the superfamily is unclear, as this genus shares characteristics of both families. For instance, Trassedia possess both the pterostigma form characteristic of Megaspilidae, and the Waterston’s evaporatori...

X-ray microtomography (μCT) is an established technique for morphologists, which does not need sophisticated preparations, does not destroy the object under study and allows visualizing them in full 3D. However, resolution of the conventional devices is limited to several microns. We therefore present herein 3D images of water bears (Macrobiotus hu...