Zoology 10th Edition by Stephen Miller,John Harley

تمرين 9

The exoskeleton or cuticle covers the entire body of an arthropod. The exoskeleton consists of two layers, the epicuticle and the partially hardened procuticle. The growth of an arthropod is accompanied by periodic molting of the exoskeleton, a process called ecdysis.
What properties of the exoskeleton provide for each of the following functions: protection from mechanical injury, protection against desiccation, storing energy for jumping, attachment of muscles, and flexibility?
FIGURE 14.4 Modifications of the Exoskeleton. ( a ) Invaginations of the exoskeleton result in firm ridges and bars when the outer procuticle in the region of the invagination remains thick and hard. These are muscle attachment sites. ( b ) Regions where the outer procuticle is thinned are flexible and form membranes and joints. From: "A LIFE OF INVERTEBRATES" © 1979 W. D. Russell-Hunter.