The arthropod cuticle

Abstract

What accounts for the beauty and singularity of arthropods is the cuticle that enables them to compete in their small world. What we see is the surface but what does it look like inside? In the past two centuries, starting with the discovery of chitin as a major component of the arthropod cuticle by Odier (1823), a vast number of publications contributed to the understanding of cuticle architecture and composition (reviewed in Locke 2001; Moussian 2010). The arthropod cuticle is a multifunctional coat that defines and stabilises the shape of the body, appendages and internal organs including the hindgut, the foregut and, in insects, the tracheae, preventing dehydration and infection, and protecting against predators of the same scale. As an exoskeleton, additionally, it allows locomotion and flight. Witnessing the ecological success and relevance of arthropods, the cuticle is a highly versatile device facilitating formation of many different body shapes that reflect habitat adaptation, and indeed, arthropods populate a broad range of ecological habitats ranging from oceans to deserts.