TY - JOUR A1 - Poppinga, Simon A1 - Kampowski, Tim A1 - Metzger, Amélie A1 - Speck, Olga A1 - Speck, Thomas T1 - Comparative kinematical analyses of Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) snap traps JF - Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology PY - 2016/// VL - 7 SP - 664 EP - 674 SN - 2190-4286 DO - 10.3762/bjnano.7.59 PB - Beilstein-Institut JA - Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. UR - https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.59 KW - biomechanics KW - carnivorous plant KW - Droseraceae KW - fast plant movement KW - functional morphology N2 - Although the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) can be considered as one of the most extensively investigated carnivorous plants, knowledge is still scarce about diversity of the snap-trap motion, the functionality of snap traps under varying environmental conditions, and their opening motion. By conducting simple snap-trap closure experiments in air and under water, we present striking evidence that adult Dionaea snaps similarly fast in aerial and submersed states and, hence, is potentially able to gain nutrients from fast aquatic prey during seasonal inundation. We reveal three snapping modes of adult traps, all incorporating snap buckling, and show that millimeter-sized, much slower seedling traps do not yet incorporate such elastic instabilities. Moreover, opening kinematics of young and adult Dionaea snap traps reveal that reverse snap buckling is not performed, corroborating the assumption that growth takes place on certain trap lobe regions. Our findings are discussed in an evolutionary, biomechanical, functional–morphological and biomimetic context. ER -