ǂThe ǂorigin of microscopic spheres on the exoskeleton of the woodlouse Porcellionides pruinosus (Crustacea: Isopoda) and their effect on its hydrophobicity

Miloš Vittori (Avtor), Ivana Gantar (Avtor)

Povzetek

The dorsal surface of the woodlouse Porcellionides pruinosus is covered with minute spheres, providing its characteristic powdered appearance. Little has been known about their composition and formation. A previously suggested function of these structures was to increase the hydrophobicity of the cuticular surface. We studied the ultrastructure, composition and formation of the spheres as well as tested whether they affect the hydrophobicity of the cuticle. We determined the composition of the spheres with histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy after applying various chemicals. We studied the process of their formation with transmission electron microscopy and assessed the hydrophobicity of the cuticle by measuring contact angles of water droplets with its surface. Our results show that the spheres are largely organic. They contain proteins and glycoproteins or possibly polysaccharides without detectable amounts of lipids. By studying the formation of the spheres we established that they are epicuticular structures. They are deposited early in the premolt stage of the molt cycle around branching extensions of epidermal cells. The sphere-covered cuticle of P. pruinosus is more hydrophobic than the cuticle with experimentally removed spheres as well as the scale-covered cuticle in a related species.

Ključne besede

SEM;TEM;Oniscidea;epikutikula;epicuticle;ecdysis;

Podatki

Jezik:	Angleški jezik
Leto izida:	2020
Tipologija:	1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
Organizacija:	UL BF - Biotehniška fakulteta
Založnik:	Elsevier
UDK:	57
COBISS:	27496451
ISSN:	1467-8039
Št. ogledov:	389
Št. prenosov:	155
Ocena:	0 (0 glasov)
Metapodatki:

Ostali podatki

Sekundarni jezik:	Slovenski jezik
Sekundarne ključne besede:	SEM;TEM;Oniscidea;epikutikula;
Vrsta dela (COBISS):	Članek v reviji
Strani:	str. 1-13
Letnik:	ǂVol. ǂ58
Zvezek:	ǂ[article] ǂ100968
Čas izdaje:	Sep. 2020
DOI:	10.1016/j.asd.2020.100968
ID:	12021431