Biology

Dr. Sanjay Sane
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore

Whether navigating over long or short distances, air-borne insects receive constant sensory updates about their own speed. This information is perceived by mechanosensors that are distributed all over the insect's body, and especially on the head. How does this information impact the flight performance of freely flying or tethered insects? How does the airflow sensory system combine with other systems required for flight readiness? These are some of the questions that we have been addressing in recent years. Here, we will present preliminary results that show that the airflow sensing system combines with many aspects of insect flight stabilization systems to ensure proper coordination during the initiation of insect flight.