Insect wings have no flight muscles, except those situated in the thorax. However, they continuously respond to forces acting on them during flight. This ability is achieved by the specialised design of the wings and plays a key role in their aerodynamic performance. Dragonfly (Anisoptera) wings represent an extreme example of this automatic shape control among flying insects. The functionality of the wings results from complex interactions between several structural components of which they are composed. Here we put together the results of our recent works, to review the functional roles of some of the key wing components including vein, membrane, vein microjoint, nodus, basal complex and corrugation. Our results help to understand the relationship between the structure, material and function of each of these wing components in complex dragonfly wings. We further use our data to explain how the interactions between the wing components provide dragonflies with fully functional wings.

中文翻译：

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蜻蜓翅膀是如何工作的？机翼结构部件功能作用的简要指南

昆虫翅膀没有飞行肌肉，除了位于胸部的肌肉。然而，它们会不断地对飞行过程中作用在它们身上的力做出反应。这种能力是通过机翼的专门设计实现的，并且在其空气动力学性能中起着关键作用。蜻蜓（Anisoptera）的翅膀是飞行昆虫中这种自动形状控制的一个极端例子。机翼的功能源于组成它们的几个结构部件之间的复杂相互作用。在这里，我们汇总了我们最近工作的结果，以回顾一些关键翼组件的功能作用，包括静脉、膜、静脉微关节、结节、基底复合体和波纹。我们的结果有助于理解结构之间的关系，复杂蜻蜓翅膀中每个翅膀组件的材料和功能。我们进一步使用我们的数据来解释翅膀组件之间的相互作用如何为蜻蜓提供功能齐全的翅膀。