Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions

The evolution of flight in an early winged insect ancestral lineage is recognized as a key adaptation explaining the unparalleled success and diversification of insects. Subsequent transitions and modifications to flight machinery, including secondary reductions and losses, also play a central role in shaping the impacts of insects on broadscale geographic and eco- logical processes and patterns in the present and future. Given the importance of insect flight, there has been a centuries-long history of research and debate on the evolutionary origins and biological mechanisms of flight. Here, we revisit this history from an interdisciplinary perspective, discussing recent discoveries regarding the developmental origins, physiology, biome- chanics, and neurobiology and sensory control of flight in a diverse set of insect models. We also identify major outstanding questions yet to be addressed and provide recommendations for overcoming current methodological challenges faced when studying insect flight, which will allow the field to continue to move forward in new and exciting directions. By integrating mechanistic work into ecological and evolutionary contexts, we hope that this synthesis promotes and stimulates new in- terdisciplinary research efforts necessary to close the many existing gaps about the causes and consequences of insect flight evolution.

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Integrative and Comparative Biology following peer review. The version of record Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Volume 64, Issue 2, August 2024, Pages 533–555 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icae106 .

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Work Title Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions
Access
Embargoed
Creators
  1. Lisa A. Treidel
  2. Kevin D. Deem
  3. Mary K. Salcedo
  4. Michael H. Dickinson
  5. Heather S. Bruce
  6. Charles A. Darveau
  7. Bradley H. Dickerson
  8. Olaf Ellers
  9. Jordan R. Glass
  10. Caleb M. Gordon
  11. Jon F. Harrison
  12. Tyson L. Hedrick
  13. Meredith G. Johnson
  14. Jacqueline E. Lebenzon
  15. James H. Marden
  16. Kristjan Niitepõld
  17. Sanjay P. Sane
  18. Simon Sponberg
  19. Stav Talal
  20. Caroline M. Williams
  21. Ethan S. Wold
Keyword
  1. Insect Flight
  2. State Of The Field
  3. Flight State
  4. Flight
  5. Evolution Of Flight
  6. Evolution
  7. Secondary Losses
  8. Long History
  9. Ancestral Lineage
  10. Secondary Reduction
  11. Developmental Origins
  12. Research History
  13. Logical Patterns
  14. Insect Model
  15. Logical Process
  16. Origin Mechanism
  17. Lineages
  18. Insect Models
  19. Neurobiology
  20. Adaptation
  21. Evolutionary
  22. Evolutionary Origin
  23. Methodological Challenges
  24. Biological Mechanisms
  25. Winged Insect
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Acknowledgments
  1. We would like to thank all of the participants who attended the insect flight workshop during the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) 2024 annual meeting for their intellectual contributions and discussion on outstanding questions in the field, and feedback from two anonymous reviewers that helped improve the quality of this manuscript. Funding: This work, symposium, and workshop was supported by the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Division of Neurobiology, Neuroethology, and Sensory Biology; the American Microscopy Society; the Company of Biologists [Scientific meeting grant EA774]; and the National Science Foundation [IOS 2326924].
Publisher
  1. Integrative and Comparative Biology
Publication Date August 1, 2024
Subject
  1. Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, Development
Language
  1. English
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icae106
Deposited January 20, 2025

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Updated
  • Added Creator Lisa A. Treidel
  • Added Creator Kevin D. Deem
  • Added Creator Mary K. Salcedo
  • Added Creator Michael H. Dickinson
  • Added Creator Heather S. Bruce
  • Added Creator Charles A. Darveau
  • Added Creator Bradley H. Dickerson
  • Added Creator Olaf Ellers
  • Added Creator Jordan R. Glass
  • Added Creator Caleb M. Gordon
  • Added Creator Jon F. Harrison
  • Added Creator Tyson L. Hedrick
  • Added Creator Meredith G. Johnson
  • Added Creator Jacqueline E. Lebenzon
  • Added Creator James H. Marden
  • Added Creator Kristjan Niitepõld
  • Added Creator Sanjay P. Sane
  • Added Creator Simon Sponberg
  • Added Creator Stav Talal
  • Added Creator Caroline M. Williams
  • Added Creator Ethan S. Wold
  • Updated Work Title, Keyword, Publisher, and 3 more Show Changes
    Work Title
    • Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions, Integrative and Comparative Biology
    • Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions
    Keyword
    • Insect Flight, State Of The Field, Flight State, Flight, Evolution Of Flight, Evolution, Secondary Losses, Long History, Ancestral Lineage, Secondary Reduction, Developmental Origins, Research History, Logical Patterns, Insect Model, Logical Process, Origin Mechanism, Lineages, Insect Models, Neurobiology, Adaptation, Evolutionary, Evolutionary Origin, Methodological Challenges, Biological Mechanisms, Winged Insect
    Publisher
    • Integrative and Comparative Biology
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icae106
    Description
    • <p>The evolution of flight in an early winged insect ancestral lineage is recognized as a key adaptation explaining the unparalleled success and diversification of insects. Subsequent transitions and modifications to flight machinery, including secondary reductions and losses, also play a central role in shaping the impacts of insects on broadscale geographic and eco- logical processes and patterns in the present and future. Given the importance of insect flight, there has been a centuries-long history of research and debate on the evolutionary origins and biological mechanisms of flight. Here, we revisit this history from an interdisciplinary perspective, discussing recent discoveries regarding the developmental origins, physiology, biome- chanics, and neurobiology and sensory control of flight in a diverse set of insect models. We also identify major outstanding questions yet to be addressed and provide recommendations for overcoming current methodological challenges faced when studying insect flight, which will allow the field to continue to move forward in new and exciting directions. By integrating mechanistic work into ecological and evolutionary contexts, we hope that this synthesis promotes and stimulates new in- terdisciplinary research efforts necessary to close the many existing gaps about the causes and consequences of insect flight evolution.</p>
    Publication Date
    • 2024-08-01
  • Updated
  • Updated Subject, Language, Publisher's Statement Show Changes
    Subject
    • Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, Development
    Language
    • English
    Publisher's Statement
    • This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Integrative and Comparative Biology following peer review. The version of record Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Volume 64, Issue 2, August 2024, Pages 533–555 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icae106 .
  • Updated Acknowledgments Show Changes
    Acknowledgments
    • We would like to thank all of the participants who attended the insect flight workshop during the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) 2024 annual meeting for their intellectual contributions and discussion on outstanding questions in the field, and feedback from two anonymous reviewers that helped improve the quality of this manuscript. Funding: This work, symposium, and workshop was supported by the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry, Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Division of Neurobiology, Neuroethology, and Sensory Biology; the American Microscopy Society; the Company of Biologists [Scientific meeting grant EA774]; and the National Science Foundation [IOS 2326924].
  • Updated Creator Lisa A. Treidel
  • Updated Creator Kevin D. Deem
  • Updated Creator Mary K. Salcedo
  • Updated Creator Michael H. Dickinson
  • Updated Creator Heather S. Bruce
  • Updated Creator Charles A. Darveau
  • Updated Creator Bradley H. Dickerson
  • Updated Creator Olaf Ellers
  • Updated Creator Jordan R. Glass
  • Updated Creator Caleb M. Gordon
  • Updated Creator Jon F. Harrison
  • Updated Creator Tyson L. Hedrick
  • Updated Creator Meredith G. Johnson
  • Updated Creator Jacqueline E. Lebenzon
  • Updated Creator James H. Marden
  • Updated Creator Kristjan Niitepõld
  • Updated Creator Sanjay P. Sane
  • Updated Creator Simon Sponberg
  • Updated Creator Stav Talal
  • Updated Creator Caroline M. Williams
  • Updated Creator Ethan S. Wold
  • Added Insect Flight State of the Field_ Author’s accepted manuscript.pdf
  • Updated Description, License Show Changes
    Description
    • <p>The evolution of flight in an early winged insect ancestral lineage is recognized as a key adaptation explaining the unparalleled success and diversification of insects. Subsequent transitions and modifications to flight machinery, including secondary reductions and losses, also play a central role in shaping the impacts of insects on broadscale geographic and eco- logical processes and patterns in the present and future. Given the importance of insect flight, there has been a centuries-long history of research and debate on the evolutionary origins and biological mechanisms of flight. Here, we revisit this history from an interdisciplinary perspective, discussing recent discoveries regarding the developmental origins, physiology, biome- chanics, and neurobiology and sensory control of flight in a diverse set of insect models. We also identify major outstanding questions yet to be addressed and provide recommendations for overcoming current methodological challenges faced when studying insect flight, which will allow the field to continue to move forward in new and exciting directions. By integrating mechanistic work into ecological and evolutionary contexts, we hope that this synthesis promotes and stimulates new in- terdisciplinary research efforts necessary to close the many existing gaps about the causes and consequences of insect flight evolution.</p>
    • The evolution of flight in an early winged insect ancestral lineage is recognized as a key adaptation explaining the unparalleled success and diversification of insects. Subsequent transitions and modifications to flight machinery, including secondary reductions and losses, also play a central role in shaping the impacts of insects on broadscale geographic and eco- logical processes and patterns in the present and future. Given the importance of insect flight, there has been a centuries-long history of research and debate on the evolutionary origins and biological mechanisms of flight. Here, we revisit this history from an interdisciplinary perspective, discussing recent discoveries regarding the developmental origins, physiology, biome- chanics, and neurobiology and sensory control of flight in a diverse set of insect models. We also identify major outstanding questions yet to be addressed and provide recommendations for overcoming current methodological challenges faced when studying insect flight, which will allow the field to continue to move forward in new and exciting directions. By integrating mechanistic work into ecological and evolutionary contexts, we hope that this synthesis promotes and stimulates new in- terdisciplinary research efforts necessary to close the many existing gaps about the causes and consequences of insect flight evolution.</p>
    License
    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
  • Published
  • Updated