Understanding About Characteristics & Functions of Tapdoles!

Reverse Bio-Engineering Worksheet (In class Tutorial) 11th April 2014 

1. Examine the biological artifact with the intent of discerning:

a. What does the biological artifact do?

- swims by lateral undulation (similar to how snakes move on land)

- feeds on algae and other microbes

- breathe using gills

- grows (progressively from hind legs to front legs, from gills to lungs and skin) to frogs

b. How does the biological artifact work?

- Larval stage of an amphibian, specifically frogs or toads

- Herbivorous

- Respire through gills

- Metamorphosizes into frogs (duration depends on species)

- Wholly aquatic

c. What might the biological artifact’s “requirements” have been?

               - Aqueous conditions

    - Cool temperature (20-25 deg celcius)

    - Suitable environment (eg: lakes, ponds which provide excellent conditions for camouflage)

    - Food (tadpoles are usually herbivorous, but in absence of food, they might cannibalize each
      other!)

          

2. Relate the biological artifact’s features to the artifact requirements listed in 1(c):

    a. List the biological artifact’s features (geometry, materials, mechanisms, etc.)

         (i) Has high surface area of gills to breathe under water

         (ii) Skin in dark green colour to camouflage itself in lake or pond waters

         (iii) Has a long tail to enhance swimming performance
                  (iv) Oval shape

             b. How do the biological artifact’s features support the requirements?

Features	Requirements
	(i) Defensive	(ii) Offensive	(iii) Travel
High surface area of gills	None	None	Enable them to respire and travel under aqueous conditions
Dark green colour skin	Enable tadpoles to camouflage to hide from predators	None	None
Long tail	Enable high swimming performance to avoid predators	None	Enable them to have an aerodynamic shape to travel faster underwater
Oval shape	Increase aerodynamic characteristics to avoid predators	None	Enhance their aerodynamic shape to travel faster underwater

             c. Are there features that don’t map to any requirements?
                 No

3. Form and function

a. How do the form (shape) and material of a feature relate to the function that the feature performs?

Features	1. Function	2. Form	3. Material	Relationship of 1-2-3
Gills	Respiratory mechanism	High surface area	Muscle tissues	High surface area of gills enables high efficiency in oxygen exchange
Dark green colour skin	Enable camouflage	-	Water, muscle tissues, minerals	Dark green skin helps them to hide from potential predators
Tail	Swimming mechanism	Long & aerodynamically shaped	Muscle tissues	Aerodynamically shaped tail helps them to swim efficiently
Oval shape	Swimming mechanism	Aerodynamically shaped	-	Oval shape helps them to reduce drag coefficient of water

4. Engineering inspiration

           a. Suggest a new product or process based upon what you have learned in 1-3 above.

               An enhancement in shape and characteristics in underwater appliances to increase the
               aerodynamic characteristics and reduce drag coefficient of water.

Thank you for reading!