Inorganic component imaging of aggregate glue droplets on spider orb webs by TOF-SIMS

Abstract

In this review, we discuss the use of time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) technology for analyzing the viscous glue (is called aggregate glue droplets) of spider orb webs and examine the results obtained. Element distribution images of the aggregate glue droplets were observed by TOF-SIMS. A uniform element distribution is seen for suspended pristine aggregate glue droplets, and a differential spreading of aggregate glue components is seen for attached aggregate glue droplets. We also observed TOF-SIMS images of water in aggregate glue droplets, where water was observed to be consistent with the distribution of oozing salt. We also found that the alkali metal in the aggregate glue droplets showed similar characteristics by feeding cesium carbonate to spiders.