Material composition of the mouthpart cuticle in a damselfly larva (Insecta: Odonata) and its biomechanical significance.

ABSTRACT: Odonata larvae are key predators in their habitats. They catch prey with a unique and highly efficient apparatus, the prehensile mask. The mandibles and maxillae, however, play the lead in handling and crushing the food. The material composition of the cuticle in the biomechanical system of the larval mouthparts has not been studied so far. We used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to detect material gradients in the cuticle by differences in autofluorescence. Our results show variations of materials in different areas of the mouthparts: (i) resilin-dominated pads within the membranous transition between the labrum and the anteclypeus, which support mobility and might provide shock absorption, an adaptation against mechanical damage; (ii) high degrees of sclerotization in the incis

SUBMITTER: Busse S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030260 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature