Insect Mouthparts: Evolution, Biomechanics, and Ecological Significance

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 176

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University at Stark, North Canton, OH, USA
Interests: fluid-feeding insects; evolutionary ecology; insect mouthpart functionality; conservation biology; insect cuticle adaptations; biomechanics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In terms of biodiversity and ecological services, no group of eukaryotic organisms are as successful as insects. Their successes are linked to their ability to feed on an extensive array of food sources, including hard and soft materials and Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, which have allowed insects to flourish in a range of environmental conditions and contribute to their global occupancy. Studies of insect mouthparts branch into many fields, including biomechanics, ontogenetics, and phylogenetics. In addition, research on this topic has become more rigorous and multidisciplinary, employing novel techniques and technology, involving biologists, physicists, and engineers. Here, we are pleased to invite submissions of research and review articles to this Special Issue of Insects. Papers that consider all aspects of insect mouthparts will be considered, including their development, material and mechanical properties, role in ecological services, and evolutionary history.

Dr. Matthew Lehnert
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomechanics
  • feeding habits
  • feeding mechanisms
  • mouthpart ontogeny

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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