Summary
Processes occurring during moulting in Tetranychus urticae (Acari, Tetranychidae) are described by means of electron microscopy.
Moulting is characterized by a pre-ecdysial phase which is initiated by the detachment of cuticle and epidermis. Epicuticular material is deposited as plaques but fuses to form a continuous layer. The epidermis folds up and ridges become determined. Procuticular material is synthesized inside the epidermis and packed into granules which accumulate below the epicuticular portions already deposited. Prior to ecdysis, portions of the old cuticle are dissolved. Ecdysis is achieved by moulting glands which effect bursting of the old cuticle. During the post-ecdysial phase, the endocuticle is synthesized during which a lamellation becomes obvious.
Processes occuring during moulting are compared to published information on the tick cuticle.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alberti G, Storch V, Renner H (1981) Über den feinstrukturellen Aufbau der Milbencuticula (Acari, Arachnida). Zool Jahrb Anat 105:183–236
Bouligand Y (1965) Sur une architecture torsadée repandue dans de nombreuses cuticules d'arthropodes. CR Acad Sci Paris 261:3665–3668
Brody AR (1970) Observations on the fine structure of the developing cuticle of a soil mite, Oppia coloradensis (Acarina, Cryptostigmata) Acarologia 12:421–431
Crowe JH (1975) Studies on acarine cuticles. III. Cuticular ridges in the citrus red mite. Trans Am Microsc Soc 94:98–108
Filshie BK (1970) The fine structure and deposition of the larval cuticle of the sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina). Tissue Cell 2:479–489
Filshie BK (1976) The structure and deposition of the epicuticle of the female cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) In: The insect integument (Hepburn HR ed) Elsevier, Amsterdam, 193–206
Gasser R (1951) Zur Kenntnis der gemeinen Spinnmilbe Tetranychus urticae. I. Mitt. Morphologie, Anatomie, Biologie, Ökologie. Mitt Schweiz Ent Ges 24:217–262
Hackman RH (1982) Structure and function in tick cuticle. Ann Rev Entomol 27:75–95
Hackman RH, Filshie BK (1982) The tick cuticle. In: Physiology of ticks (Obenchain FD, Galun R, eds) Perg Press, Oxford-NY-Toronto-Sydney-Paris-Frankfurt, 1–42
Jenkin P, Hinton HE (1966) Apolysis in arthropod moulting cycles. Nature 211:871
Krantz GW (1978) A manual of acarology. Oregon State Univ Book Stores Inc., Corvallis 2nd ed
Lees AD (1947) Transpiration and the structure of the epicuticle in ticks. J Exp Biol 33:379–410
Mayr L (1971) Untersuchungen zur Feinstruktur der Cuticula der Bohnenspinnmilbe Tetranychus urticae. Z angew Zool 58:271–278
Mothes U (1981) Feinstrukturelle Untersuchungen am Integument von Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari, Tetranychidae) nach Nikkomycin-Behandlung (AMS 0896 Bayer Leverkusen). Mitt Dt Ges Allg Angew Ent 2:172–179
Mothes-Wagner U (1982) Feinstrukturelle Untersuchungen an der phytopathogenen Spinnmilbe Tetranychus urticae (Acari, Tetranychidae) und zur Wirkungsweise der in der Erprobung befindlichen Nikkomycine als Bekämpfungsmittel. Diss Univ Marburg
Mothes U, Seitz KA (1980) Licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Funktionsmorphologie von Tetranychus urticae (Acari, Tetranychidae) I. Exkretionssysteme. Zool Jb Anat 104:500–529
Mothes U, Seitz KA (1982) Action of the microbial metabolite and chitin synthesis inhibitor Nikkomycin on the mite Tetranychus urticae; an electron microscopical study. Pestic Sci 13:426–441
Mothes-Wagner U, Seitz KA (1983a) Fine structure of the cuticle and structural changes occuring during moulting in the mite Tetranychus urticae. I. Fine structure of the cuticle. Acarologia (subm)
Mothes-Wagner U, Seitz KA (1983b) Post-embryonal development of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae with special reference to the differentiation of reproductive systems. I. Life cycle and light microscopy. Int J Invert Reprod (subm)
Neville AC (1967) Chitin orientation in cuticle and its control. Adv Insect Physiol 4:213–286
Neville AC (1975) Biology of the arthropod cuticle. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York
Redmont ES (1972) Observations on the integument of the water mite Arrenurus major (Acari, Parasitengona). J Morphol 138:433–450
Reynolds AS (1963) The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 17:208–243
Schlüter U (1982) Ultrastructural evidence for inhibition of chitin synthesis by Nikkomycin. Roux' Arch Dev Biol 191:205–208
Schlüter U, Holst H, Rönnau KC (1982) Ultrastructural changes in the gut and the malpighian tubules of Epilachna varivestis after application of the new antibiotic Nikkomycin involve an osmoregulatory defect. J Invert Pathol 39:362–372
Soloff BL (1973) Buffered potassium permanganate-uranylacetatelead citrate staining sequence for ultrathin sections. Stain Techn 48:159–165
Spurr AR (1969) A low viscosity epoxy resin embedding for electron microscopy. J Ultrastr Res 26:31–43
Vogel BE (1975) Morphologische Untersuchungen über Integument und Häutung sowie Entwicklung des vierten Beinpaares bei Ornithodoros moubata (Murray) 1887 (Acarina, Ixodidae, Argasidae) Eins Studie mit dem Lichtmikroskop, Durchstrahlungs-und Rasterelektronenmikroskop. Diss Univ Basel
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mothes-Wagner, U. Fine structure of the cuticle and structural changes occuring during moulting in the mite Tetranychus urticae. II. Moulting process (Chelicerata, Acarina). Zoomorphology 104, 105–110 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312024
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312024