(2nd Place) An analysis of jumping mechanics and behavior in cockroaches

Cockroaches have long been a model system for studying insect movement; however, the roaches’ jumping ability and the kinematics of that movement has not been specifically detailed. Here we catalog the jumping mechanisms of adult Periplaneta americana and compare it to other members of Blattodea, including their close relatives P. fuliginosa. First, we use high-speed videography to describe leg and body movements during a jump off a raised platform and spanning a gap across platforms. Then, in order to test the contribution of the hind legs to the overall jump, we performed an experiment that altered their ability to grip the substrate with their hind tibia resulting in those legs slipping instead of pushing off the ground. Finally, we compared jumping movements in P. americana to several other roach species. We found that all roaches performed the same set of jumping movements: first, positioning themselves with their front and middle legs; second, pushing off with their middle legs while bringing the hind legs forward; and third, pushing off with the hind legs. Experimental manipulation of the hind tibia reduced the forward jumping ability of P. americana, but did not completely eliminate their ability to jump, meaning that both middle and hind legs contribute force to the jump. Our work highlights an under appreciated locomotory ability of these well-studied species.