Scaling entangled active matter locomotion

Many worms, nematodes, and arthropods form dense aggregations in which constant physical contact between constituent individuals can give rise to emergent macroscale behavior. For instance, centimeter-sized, high-aspect ratio California blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus) collectively move as a blob using physical entanglements, while millimeter-sized low-aspect ratio C. elegans swarm together using motility-induced phase separation. Motivated by these observations, we model individual organisms as active polymers that attract each other to form a collective. Using this model, we investigate the scaling dynamics and functional trade-offs based on geometry, size and aspect ratio of individuals. By experimentally testing these physical principles on living systems from different biological taxa, we explore the consequences of morphological forms of the individual on the emergent properties of the entangled living collective.