Ecdysis Totally Explained

Everything about Ecdysis totally explained

Ecdysis is the molting of the cuticula in arthropods and related groups (Ecdysozoa). Since the cuticula of these animals is also the skeletal support of the body and is inelastic, it's shed during growth and a new, larger covering is formed. The old skin is called an exuvia.
After moulting, an arthropod is described as teneral; it's "fresh", pale and soft-bodied. Within one or two hours, the cuticle hardens and darkens following a tanning process similar to that of the tanning of leather. It is during this short phase that the animal grows, since growth is otherwise constrained by the rigidity of the exoskeleton.
Ecdysis may also enable damaged tissue and missing limbs to be regenerated or substantially re-formed, although this may only be complete over a series of molts, the stump being a little larger with each molt until it's of normal, or near normal size again.

Moulting in insects

Each stage in the development of an insect between molts 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 molting, such as expansion of the cuticle and collapse of air sacs to allow growth of internal organs.
The process of molting 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's initiated by an increase in the hormone ecdysone. This hormone causes:

apolysis - the separation of the cuticle from the epidermis
excretion of new cuticle beneath the old
degradation of the old cuticle

After apolysis, molting 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's 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.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Ecdysis'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://ecdysis.totallyexplained.com">Ecdysis Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.