Kier Lab

Publications

McNair, C.G., Kier, W.M., LaCroix, P.D. and Linsley, R.M. (1981) The functional significance of aperture form in gastropods. Lethaia 14: 63-70.

Kier, W.M. (1982) The functional morphology of the musculature of squid (Loliginidae) arms and tentacles. Journal of Morphology 172: 179-192.

Linsley, R.M. and Kier, W.M. (1984) The Paragastropoda: A proposal for a new class of Paleozoic Mollusca. Malacologia 25: 241-254.

Kier, W.M. and Smith, K.K. (1985) Tongues, tentacles and trunks: The biomechanics of movement in muscular-hydrostats. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 307-324.

Kier, W.M. (1985) The musculature of squid arms and tentacles: Ultrastructural evidence for functional differences. Journal of Morphology 185: 223-239.

Kier, W.M., Messenger, J.B. and Miyan, J.A. (1985) Mechanoreceptors in the fins of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. Journal of Experimental Biology 119: 369-373.

Kier, W.M. (1987) The functional morphology of the tentacle musculature of Nautilus pompilius. In Nautilus: Biology and Paleobiology of the Living Fossil, Saunders, W.B. and Landman, N.H. (Eds.). pp. 257-269. New York: Plenum.

Kier, W.M. (1988) The arrangement and function of molluscan muscle. In The Mollusca, Form and Function, Trueman, E.R. and Clarke, M.R. (Eds.), Wilbur, K.M. (Ed.-in-Chief). 11: 211-252. New York: Academic Press.

Smith, K.K. and Kier, W.M. (1989) Trunks, tongues, and tentacles: Moving with skeletons of muscle. American Scientist 77: 28-35.

Kier, W.M. (1989) The fin musculature of cuttlefish and squid (Mollusca, Cephalopoda): Morphology and mechanics. Journal of Zoology (London) 217: 23-38.

Kier, W.M., Smith, K.K., and Miyan, J.A. (1989) Electromyography of the fin musculature of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. Journal of Experimental Biology 143: 17-31.

Kier, W.M. and Smith, A.M. (1990) The morphology and mechanics of octopus suckers. Biological Bulletin 178: 126-136.

Westbrook, A.L., Haire, M.E., Kier, W.M., and Bollenbacher, W.E. (1991) Three-dimensional architecture of identified neurosecretory cells in an insect. Journal of Morphology 208: 161-174.

Kier, W.M. (1991) Squid cross-striated muscle: the evolution of a specialized muscle fiber type. Bulletin of Marine Science. 49: 389-403.

Kier, W.M. (1992) Hydrostatic skeletons and muscular hydrostats. In: Biomechanics (Structures and Systems): A Practical Approach. Biewener, A.A. (Ed.), IRL Press at Oxford University Press.

Kier, W.M. and Schachat, F.H. (1992) Biochemical comparison of fast- and slow-contracting squid muscle. Journal of Experimental Biology 168: 41-56.

Smith, A.M., Kier, W.M., Johnsen, S. (1993) The effect of depth on the attachment force of limpets. Biological Bulletin. 184: 338-341.

Johnsen, S. and Kier, W.M. (1993) Intramuscular crossed connective tissue fibres: skeletal support in the lateral fins of squid and cuttlefish. Journal of Zoology. 231: 311-338.

McCurley, R.S. and Kier, W.M. (1995) The functional morphology of starfish tube feet: the role of a crossed-fiber helical array in movement. Biological Bulletin. 188: 197-209.

Kier, W. M. (1996) Muscle development in squid: ultrastructural differentiation of a specialized muscle fiber type. Journal of Morphology. 229: 271-288.

Kier, W.M. and Van Leeuwen, J.L. (1997) A kinematic analysis of tentacle extension in the squid Loligo pealei. Journal of Experimental Biology. 200: 41-53.

Van Leeuwen, J.L. and Kier, W.M. (1997) Functional design of tentacles in squid: linking sarcomere ultrastructure to gross morphological dynamics. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 352: 551-571.

Thompson, J.T., Lowe, A.D. and Kier, W.M. (1998) The columellar muscle of prosobranch gastropods: morphological zonation and its functional implications. Invertebrate Biology. 117: 45-56.

Van Leeuwen, J.L. and Kier, W.M. (1998) Dynamics and scaling of the tentacles in squid. Biona Report 13: 9-10.

Johnsen, S. and Kier, W.M. (1998) Damage due to solar ultraviolet radiation in the brittlestar Ophioderma brevispinum (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 78: 681-684.

Nishikawa, K., Smith, K.K. and Kier, W.M. (1999) Morphology and mechanics of tongue movement in the African pig-nosed frog Hemisus marmoratum: a muscular hydrostatic model. The Journal of Experimental Biology 202: 771-780.

Johnsen, S. and Kier, W.M. (1999). Shade-seeking behavior under polarized light by the brittlestar Ophioderma brevispinum. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 79: 761-763.

Van Leeuwen, J.L., de Groot, J.H., and Kier, W.M. (2000) Evolutionary mechanics of protrusible tentacles and tongues. Netherlands Journal of Zoology. 50: 113-139.

Thompson, J.T. and Kier, W.M. (2001) Ontogenetic changes in mantle kinematics during escape jet locomotion in the Oval Squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana Lesson, 1830. Biological Bulletin 201: 154-166.

Thompson, J.T. and Kier, W.M. (2001) Ontogenetic changes in fibrous connective tissue organization in the Oval Squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana Lesson, 1830. Biological Bulletin 201: 136-153.

Kier, W.M. and Curtin, N.A. (2002) Fast muscle in squid (Loligo pealei): contractile properties of a specialized muscle fibre type. Journal of Experimental Biology. 205: 1907-1916.

Thompson, J.T. and Kier, W.M. (2002) Ontogeny of squid mantle function: changes in the mechanics of escape jet locomotion in the Oval Squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana Lesson, 1830. Biological Bulletin. 203: 14-26.

Kier, W.M. and Smith, A.M. (2002) The structure and adhesive mechanism of octopus suckers. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 42: 1146-1153.

Taylor, J.R.A. and Kier, W.M. (2003) Switching skeletons: hydrostatic support in molting crabs. Science. 301: 209-210.

Kier, W.M. and Thompson, J.T. (2003) Muscle arrangement, function and specialization in recent coleoids. Berliner Paläobiologische Abhandlungen 03: 141-162.

Uyeno, T. A. and Kier, W. M. (2005) Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: a novel joint type. Journal of Morphology. 264: 211-222.

Walker, I.D., Dawson, D.M., Flash, T., Grasso, F.W., Hanlon, R.T., Hochner, B., Kier, W.M., Pagano, C.C., Rahn, C.D. and Zhang, Q.M. (2005) Continuum Robot Arms Inspired by Cephalopods. Proceedings of SPIE. 5804: 303-314.

Taylor, J.R.A. and Kier, W.M. (2006) A pneumo-hydrostatic skeleton in land crabs. Nature. 440: 1005.

Thompson, J.T. and Kier, W.M. (2006) Ontogeny of mantle musculature and implications for jet locomotion in oval squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana. Journal of Experimental Biology. 209: 433-443.

Uyeno, T.A. and Kier, W.M. (2007) Electromyography of the buccal musculature of octopus (Octopus bimaculoides): a test of the function of the muscle articulation in support and movement. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210: 118-128.

Kier, W.M. and Stella, M.P. (2007) The arrangement and function of octopus arm musculature and connective tissue. Journal  of Morphology. 268: 831-843.

Taylor, J.R.A., Hebrank, J. and Kier, W.M. (2007) Mechanical properties of the rigid and hydrostatic skeletons of molting blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Ratthbun. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210: 4272-4278.

Kier, W.M. and Schachat, F.H. (2008) Muscle specialization in the squid motor system.  Journal  of Experimental Biology. 211: 164-169.

Trivedi, D., Rahn, C.D., Kier, W.M. and Walker, I. D. (2008) Soft robotics: Biological inspiration, state of the art, and future research. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. 5:  99-117.

Salisbury, S.M., Martin, G.C., Kier, W.M., and Schulz, J.R. (2010) Venom kinematics during prey capture in Conus: the biomechanics of a rapid injection system. Journal of Experimental Biology. 213: 673-682.

Uyeno, T.A. and Kier, W.M. (2010) Morphology of the muscle articulation joint between the hooks of a flatworm (Kalyptorhynchia, Cheliplana sp.) Biological Bulletin. 218: 169-180.

Shaffer, J.F. and Kier, W.M. (2012) Muscular tissues of the squid Doryteuthis pealeii express identical myosin heavy chain isoforms: an alternative mechanism for tuning contractile speed. Journal of Experimental Biology. 215: 239-246.

Kier, W.M. (2012) The diversity of hydrostatic skeletons.  Journal of Experimental Biology. 215: 1247-1257.

Kurth, J.A. and Kier, W.M. (2014) Scaling of the hydrostatic skeleton of the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris. Journal of Experimental Biology. 217: 1860-1867.

Thompson, J.T., Shelton, R.M. and Kier, W.M. (2014) The length-force behavior and operating length range of squid muscle vary as a function of position in the mantle wall. Journal of Experimental Biology. 217: 2181-2192.

Kurth, J.A., Thompson, J.T. and Kier, W.M. (2014) Connective tissue in squid mantle is arranged to accommodate strain gradients. Biological Bulletin. 227: 1-6.

Uyeno, T.A. and Kier, W.M. (2015) The structure and function of a muscle articulation-type jaw joint of a polychaete worm. Journal of Morphology. 276: 403-414.

Kurth, J.A., and Kier, W.M. (2015) Differences in scaling and morphology between lumbricid earthworm ecotypes. Journal of Experimental Biology. 218: 2970-2978.

Shaffer, J.F and Kier, W.M. (2016) Tuning of shortening speed in coleoid cephalopod muscle:  no evidence for tissue-specific muscle myosin heavy chain isoforms. Invertebrate Biology. 135:  3-12.

Kier, W. M. (2016) The musculature of coleoid cephalopod arms and tentacles. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 4:10.

Taylor-Burt, K.R., Kier, W.M., Olszewski-Jubelirer, J. and Thompson, J.T. (2018) Shape, size and structure affect obliquely striated muscle function in squid. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 58: 261-275.

Sholl, N., Moss, A., Kier, W.M., and Mohseni, K. (2019) A soft end effector inspired by cephalopod suckers and augmented by a dielectric elastomer actuator. Soft Robotics. https://doi.org/10.1089/soro.2018.0059

Kier, W.M. (2020) Muscle force is modulated by internal pressure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117, 2245-2247. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1921726117 (Invited Commentary)

Gilly, W.F., Renken, C., Rosenthal, J.J.C., Kier, W.M. (2020) Specialization for rapid excitation in fast squid squid tentacle muscle involves action potentials absent in slow arm muscle. Journal of Experimental Biology. 223, jeb218081. doi:10.1242/jeb.218081

Davis, A.L., Sutton, T.T., Kier, W.M., Johnsen, S. (2020) Evidence that eye-facing photophores serve as a reference for counterillumination in an order of deep-sea fishes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 20192918. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2918

Thompson, J.T., Taylor-Burt, K.R., and Kier, W. M. (2022) One size does not fit all:  diversity of length-force properties of obliquely striated muscles. Journal of Experimental Biology. 226, jeb244949. doi: 10.1242/jeb.244949.

Van Leeuwen, J.L. and Kier, W.M. (2023) Predicting the effects of spatiotemporal modifications of muscle activation on the tentacle extension of squid.  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 11, 1193409. doi: 10:3389/fboe.2023.1193409.

Tekinalp, A., Naughton, N., Kim, S-H., Halder, U., Gillette, R., Mehta, P.G., Kier, W.M. and Gazzola, M. (in review) Topology, dynamics, and control of a muscle-fiber architected soft arm.  Nature Machine Intelligence.