Cicada Moulting

Posted by Alfredo J. Martiz J. (Panama City, Panama) on 11 August 2007 in Animal & Insect.

Each stage in the development of an insect between moults is called an instar, or stadium. Endopterygota tend to have few instars (4-5), while other insects such as Exopterygota can have anywhere up to 15. Endopterygota insects have more alternatives to moulting, such as expansion of the cuticle and collapse of air sacs to allow growth of internal organs.

The process of moulting in insects begins with the separation of the cuticle from the underlying epidermal cells (apolysis) and ends with the shedding of the old cuticle (ecdysis). In many of them it is initiated by an increase in the hormone ecdysone. This hormone causes:
1. Apolysis - the separation of the cuticle from the epidermis
2. Excretion of new cuticle beneath the old
3. Degradation of the old cuticle

After apolysis, moulting fluid is secreted into the space between the old cuticle and the epidermis (the exuvial space), this contains inactive enzymes which are activated only after the new epicuticle is secreted. This prevents them from digesting the new procuticle as it is laid down. The lower regions of the old cuticle - the endocuticle and mesocuticle - are then digested by the enzymes and subsequently absorbed. The exocuticle and epicuticle resist digestion and are hence shed at ecdysis.
Source: Wikipedia

Tokyo University of Science, Noda Campus. August 9th, 2007.

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