The stomatopod dactyl club: a formidable damage-tolerant biological hammer.
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.
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 01238, USA.
James C
JC
Weaver
Garrett W
GW
Milliron
Ali
A
Miserez
Kenneth
K
Evans-Lutterodt
Steven
S
Herrera
Isaias
I
Gallana
William J
WJ
Mershon
Brook
B
Swanson
Pablo
P
Zavattieri
Elaine
E
DiMasi
David
D
Kisailus
D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000032:analysis; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D002686:Chitin / Q000032:analysis; D003445:Crustacea / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003460:Crystallization; D017886:Durapatite / Q000032:analysis; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C519480:amorphous calcium phosphate; D002686:Chitin; D010758:Phosphorus; D017886:Durapatite; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002118:Calcium