Figure 3.

(a) Surface rendering of reconstructed µCT data showing three selected components of the metatarsal vibration receptor including the tarsus (blue), the pad (green), and the slit-sensilla lyriform organ (pink) measured during contact. The deflection angle between the tarsus and metatarsus was 9°. (b) Three-dimensional shape of the cuticular pad extracted from (a). Grey regions at the distal side of the pad indicate the contact area with the tarsus. (c) Three-dimensional shape of the cuticular pad under load with a slight lateral component. The tarsus–metatarsus angle was 8°. Grey regions at the distal side of the pad indicate the contact area with the tarsus. (d–f) µCT virtual slices of the sample in a–b sectioned in the sagittal plane in the centre of the pad in relaxed (d) state (less than 0°), and deflected by 9° (e). The dashed lines indicate the outline of the cuticular material of the pad. The white arrows indicate one slit of the metatarsal lyriform organ. Darker region below the ventral side of the pad is caused due to reduction in vapour pressure; the pad itself however is still moist. (f) An overlay of the pad shape from d and e.