Natures wonders: insect teeth with zinc protein molecules (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, September 01, 2021, 20:09 (1177 days ago) @ David Turell

Teh metal adds to the strength:

https://theconversation.com/zinc-infused-proteins-are-the-secret-that-allows-scorpions-...

"Many small animals grow their teeth, claws and other “tools” out of materials that are filled with zinc, bromine and manganese, reaching up to 20% of the material’s weight. My colleagues and I call these “heavy element biomaterials,” and in a new paper, we suggest that these materials make it possible for animals to grow scalpel-sharp and precisely shaped tools that are resistant to breaking, deformation and wear.

***

"It’s not surprising that materials that could make sharp tools would evolve in small animals. A tick and a wolf both need to puncture the same elk skin, but the wolf has vastly stronger muscles. The tick can make up for its tiny muscles by using sharper tools that focus force onto smaller regions.

"But, like a sharp pencil tip, sharper tool tips break more easily. The danger of fracture is made even worse by the tendency for small animals to extend their reach using long thin tools – like those pictured above. And a chipped claw or tooth may be fatal for a small animal that doesn’t have the strength to cut with blunted tools.

"But we found that heavy element biomaterials are also particularly hard and damage-resistant.

"From an evolutionary perspective, these materials allow smaller animals to consume tougher foods. And the energy saved by using less force during cutting can be important for any animal. These advantages may explain the widespread use of heavy element biomaterials in nature – most ants, many other insects, spiders and their relatives, marine worms, crustaceans and many other types of organisms use them."

Comment: The researchers do not know exactly how the metals are so helpful, and will study more. To me this is obviously a designed solution becasue of its specificity.