Foot pads of a fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the underside of the foot pads and claws of a grey flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria.

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Foot pads of a fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the underside of the foot pads and claws of a grey flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria. The tip of the foot of the grey flesh fly consists of two rounded claws with two pads or cushions, called pulvilli, beneath them. Each pulvillus is covered with a furry coat of \tenent\" hairs (coloured light brown here). Tenent hairs secrete a sticky substance which enables the fly to land on smooth surfaces. For gripping onto rough surfaces, the grey flesh fly uses the large rounded claws found at the tip of each foot. Magnification: x56 at 5x7cm size. x195 at 8x10\""

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Size: 4795px × 3650px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, carnaria, claw, flesh, fly, foot, grey, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, nature, pad, pulvillus, sarcophaga, wildlife, zoology