Abstract
TWO types of muscle are recognized in the mesothorax of Diptera: first, the large specialized dorsal longitudinal and dorsoventral indirect-flight muscles; secondly, the less specialized muscles that operate the legs and the pleural or so-called direct-wing, or direct-flight, muscles1–4. The indirect-flight muscles are described as of a fibrous or fibrillar nature, give a twitch response to stimuli and develop the extremely rapid thoracic vibrations that produce the main flight movements of the wings in Diptera (and Hymenoptera). The second group of less specialized muscles are described as of a tubular nature and give a tetanic response to stimuli; those connected with the wing base are presumed to set the wings and so be responsible for variations in the actual mode of flying.
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SMART, J. Coxo-Subalar Muscle in the Mesothorax of Diptera. Nature 180, 339–340 (1957). https://doi.org/10.1038/180339a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/180339a0
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