Elephant trunk wrinkles: A mathematical model of function and form

Liu, Yang, Goriely, Alain and Mihai, L. Angela ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0863-3729 2025. Elephant trunk wrinkles: A mathematical model of function and form. Nonlinearity 38 (3) , 035004. 10.1088/1361-6544/adaf6c

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Abstract

A notable feature of the elephant trunk is the pronounced wrinkling that enables its great flexibility. Here, we devise a general mathematical model that accounts for the characteristic skin wrinkles formed during morphogenesis in the elephant trunk. Using physically realistic parameters and operating within the theoretical framework of nonlinear morphoelasticity, we elucidate analytically and numerically the effect of skin thickness, relative stiffness, and differential growth on the physiological pattern of transverse wrinkles distributed along the trunk. We conclude that since the skin and muscle components have similar material properties, geometric parameters, such as curvature, play an important role. In particular, our model predicts that, in the proximal region close to the skull, where the curvature is lower, fewer wrinkles form and will form sooner than in the distal narrower region, where more wrinkles develop. Similarly, less wrinkling is found on the ventral side, which is flatter, compared to the dorsal side. In summary, the mechanical compatibility between the skin and the muscle enables them to grow seamlessly, while the wrinkled skin acts as a protective barrier that is both thicker and more flexible than the unwrinkled skin.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Mathematics
Publisher:	IOP Publishing
ISSN:	0951-7715
Funders:	EPSRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	28 January 2025
Date of Acceptance:	28 January 2025
Last Modified:	24 Mar 2025 16:55
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/175658

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