The dorsal tergite cuticle of Helleria brevicornis: Ultrastructure, mineral distribution, calcite microstructure and texture.

ABSTRACT: Among the terrestrial Crustacea, isopods have most successfully established themselves in a large variety of terrestrial habitats. As in most Crustacea, their cuticle consists of a hierarchically organised organic phase of chitin-protein fibrils, containing calcium carbonate and some calcium phosphate. In previous studies, we examined the tergite cuticle of Tylos europaeus, which lives on seashores and burrows into moist sand. In this study, we investigate the closely related species Helleria brevicornis, which is completely terrestrial and lives in leaf litter and humus and burrows into the soil. To get deeper insights in relation between the structure of the organic and mineral phase in species living in diverse habitats, we have investigated the structure, and the chemical

SUBMITTER: Seidl B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8313847 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature