University Of Bristol Discovers Ears On The Wings Of Tr

Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered ears on the wings of tropical butterflies that enable them to tune in to high and low pitch sounds.

Morpho peleides, the Blue Morpho butterflies that inhabit the Central and South America carry ears on their wings in the form of an oval shaped tympanal membrane.

There is a dome in the middle attached directly to the sensory organs. It’s the dome that converts the sound waves into signals that are transferred to nerve cells. The remarkable structure is also expected to have been associated with the detection of predators, especially in birds.

Katie Lucas, the lead researcher employed a laser beam to scan the surface of the membrane to find that the lower pitch sounds vibrate the outer membrane only partially whereas the higher pitches vibrated the entire membrane. The nerve recordings as measured by the scientists have suggested that the Blue Morpho butterflies are exceptionally sensitive to the low pitches in contrast with the hearing capacities of other insects with similar ears.

In addition, the butterflies can also tune in to a greater variety of pitches. Katie Lucas and her colleagues are of the opinion that the wide range may include not only the low pitch fluttering of the birds’ wings, but also the high pitch cooing.

The team behind the discovery comprises scientists at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, University of Strathclyde, and Carleton University, Ontario, Canada.

The research by Katie Lucas and her associates has been backed by a number of organizations including a Journal of Experimental Biology Travelling Fellowship to Katie Lucas, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Innovation Trust, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences research Council (BBSRC), UK.