Exuvia

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Exuviae of an Antarctic krill. Many details are still there: the filtering basket, the compound eye, the gastric mill

Exuviae is a term used in biology to describe the remains of an exoskeleton that is left after an arthropod (insect, crustacean or arachnid) has moulted. The exuviae of an animal can be important to biologists as it can often be used to identify the species of the animal and even its sex.

As it is not always practical to study insects, crustaceans or arachnids directly and because exuviae can be collected fairly easily, exuviae can play an important part in helping to determine some general aspects of a species overall life cycle such as distribution, sex ratio, production and proof of breeding in a habitat.

Exuvia is a derived singular usage that is becoming more common as standards degrade; exuvium is an incorrect singular formation [1][2]

Exuviae of a tarantula. You can see into the openings where the legs once were

Potamon fluviatile out of its exuviae
Southern Hawker out of its exuviae

A dragonfly exuviae
Exuviae of a horseshoe crab. Ventral view with all the legs visible

Exuviae of a horseshoe crab. Dorsal view

[edit] References

  1. ^ Torre-Bueno, J.R. de la, et al. (1989) The Torre-Bueno Glossary of Entomology, rev. ed. New York: New York Entomological Society. 840 pp. ISBN 0913424137
  2. ^ Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005) Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-82149-5]]

[edit] External links

[Taxacom] exuvia versus exuvium, Doug Yanega *[1]

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