Data from: A new ultrafast movement enables escape at low temperature

Wang, Lu-Yi 1 ; Stuart-Fox, Devi1; Lee, Ko-Huan2; Black, Jay 1 ; Franklin, Amanda M.1

Published Feb 18, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ht76hdrqd

Data files

Feb 18, 2025 version files 227 KB

Abstract

Escape is a life critical defensive behaviour. One potential escape strategy is using ultrafast movements to relocate quickly. These movements do not rely solely on muscle activation and are beneficial for ectotherms at low temperatures when muscle performance is constrained. However, the functional significance of ultrafast motions is often assumed. Here, we show with high-speed videos that Astraeus jewel beetles (Buprestidae) rapidly open their elytra to flick themselves into the air and the movement is of comparable speed to other known ultrafast movements. Our calculations indicate that it is likely a power-amplified mechanism. Behavioural trials and thermal imaging demonstrate that Astraeus beetles can flick at > 15°C lower body temperatures than walking or flying, suggesting that the behaviour could provide a significant survival advantage at low ambient temperatures. Taken together, we reveal a novel ultrafast movement and show its potential functional value in escape.

This dataset is for reproducing the results in the paper titled “A new ultrafast movement enables escape at low temperature"

The dataset belongs to Lu-Yi Wang1*, Devi Stuart-Fox1, Ko-Huan Lee2,3, Jay Black4, Amanda M. Franklin1

1 School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
2 School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
3Health and Biosecurity, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, ACT, Australia
4School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

*Corresponding author: Lu-Yi Wang (luyiwangtw@gmail.com, luyi.wang@unimelb.edu.au)

This dataset includes 5 different components as listed below

tracking data (folder, in .zip format)
flick heights.csv
fast movement comparison.csv
beetle size.csv
temperature data.csv
Kinematics_analysis.Rmd
Temperature_analysis.Rmd

tracking data (folder)

The folder contains the raw data extracted from high-speed videos, categorised in 12 sub-folders based on the

species: A_pygmaeus/A_dilutipes.
recording angle: Recorded from topview/later view.
start position: The position of the beetle in the beginning of the trial, either right-side up (sit) or up-side down (lie)
elytra order: Which elytron was tracked in the video. Either the one that open first (first) or the one that opened later (second).

Each csv file is named after the video name from which the data is extracted. Each csv contains 2 data columns.

time: The duration between the initial opening of the elytron until the end of the first downstroke oscillation.
displacement: the angular displacement of the elytron (Unit: radian).

In total there are 191 csv data files in "tracking data" folder

A_dilutipes_lateral_lie: 15 csv files.
A_dilutipes_lateral_sit: 14 csv files.
A_dilutipes_topview_lie_first: 18 csv files.
A_dilutipes_topview_lie_second: 18 csv files.
A_dilutipes_topview_sit_first: 15 csv files.
A_dilutipes_topview_sit_second: 15 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_lateral_lie: 15 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_lateral_sit: 15 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_topview_lie_first: 17 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_topview_lie_second: 17 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_topview_sit_first: 16 csv files.
A_pygmaeus_topview_sit_second: 16 csv files.

flick heights.csv

This dataset has the data of how high Astraeus beetle flick up. In this dataset, it contains 4 data columns.

video_ID: The ID of the high-speed video we used to extract the data from.
species: Species of the beetle in the trail. Either A_pygmaeus (for Astraeus pygmaeus) or A_dilutipes (for Astraeus dilutpes).
position: The starting position of the beetle in the beginning of the trail. Either up-side down (lie) or right-side up (sit).
yaxis_height_m: The peak height the beetle reaches during the flick. Measured the vertical distance from the substrate to beetle's body center (Unit: meter).

fast movement comparison.csv

This dataset has the data of kinematic and morphological data of other ultrafast movements in biological systems from literature. In this dataset, it contains 9 data columns.

action_type: The type of action, including Nematocyst discharge, Ballistospore ejection, Pollen ejection, Mandible strike, Jump, Suction trap, Snap buckling, Appendage strike, projection, Peg slide, Jump
organism: The organism that perform the action, including Hydra, Fungi, Bunchberry dogwood stamen, Trap-jaw ant, Plant louse, Aquatic bladderworts, Froghopper, Venus flytrap, Mantis shrimp, Frog, Chameleon, Locust, Termite, Click beetle.
group: The biological group the organism belongs to, including Cnidarian, Fungi, Plant, Arthropods, Vertebrates.
length_m: The length of the character that involved in the action (Unit: meter).
mass_kg: The mass of the character that involved in the action (Unit: kilogram).
duration_s: The duration of the action (Unit: second).
distance_m: The distance the character that involved in the action travels during the action (Unit: meter).
velocity: The peak velocity of the character during the action (Unit: meter/second).
acceleration: The peak acceleration of the character during the action (Unit: meter/second^2).

Note: The empty cells in this data file mean not available.

beetle size.csv

This dataset has the data of beetle size. In this dataset, it contains 7 data columns.

ID: ID of the beetle measured.
body_weight_g: Whole beetle weight. (Unit: gram)
body_length_mm: Whole beetle length from head to the posterior tip of the abdomen (Unit: millimeter).
body_width_mm: Whole beetle width from the widest part of the abdomen (Unit: millimeter).
prothorax_height_mm: The height of the prothorax of the beetle (Unit: millimeter).
elytra_length_mm: The length of beetle's elytra (Unit: millimeter).
elytra_weight_g: The weight of beetle's one elytron (Unit: gram).

Note: The empty cells in this data files mean not available.

temperature data.csv

The data from the temperature experiment. In this dataset, it contains 9 data columns.

beetle_ID: ID of the beetle in each trial.
start_temp: The body temperature of the beetle in the beginning of the trial. (Unit: degree Celsius)
flick_temp: The body temperature of the beetle when the it flicks. (Unit: degree Celsius)
walk_temp: The body temperature of the beetle when the it walks. (Unit: degree Celsius)
fly_temp: The body temperature of the beetle when the it flys. (Unit: degree Celsius)
*Note: Each trial will only have one behavioural temperature, i.e. flick/ealk/fly temp. Hence, for the other temperature, the entry remains blank for the other two behavioural temp.
species: Species of the beetle in the trail. Either A_pygmaeus (for Astraeus pygmaeus) or A_dilutipes (for Astraeus dilutpes).
condition: Either the beetle does the behaviour voluntarily (natural) or triggered (triggered).
position: The starting position of the beetle in the beginning of the trail. Either up-side down (lie) or right-side up (sit).
trial_ID: The ID of each trial.

Note: The empty cells in this data files mean not applicable.

Kinematics_analysis.Rmd

The Rmarkdown file for the kinematic analyses and plotting in the manuscript.

Temperature_analysis.Rmd

The Rmarkdown file for the temperature analyses and plotting in the manuscript.