bassiana, conidial adherence to hydrophobic surfaces (like the
epicuticle wax of P.
The thin cell membrane layer, also referred to as the
epicuticle, consists of a protein matrix and a lipid layer which strongly contribute to the hydrophobicity and lubricity of virgin hair (Lodge 2006).
[5] Pedrini, N., Crespo, R., and Juarez, M.P., 2007, "Biochemistry of insect
epicuticle degradation by entomopathogenic fungi," Comp.
After landing on the host, the conidia started to penetrate the
epicuticle by forming an appressorium (stage 1).
An arthropod completely covered in an almost impermeable
epicuticle wax layer would have the great advantage of losing very little water through transpiration, but it would be unable to breathe because the oxygen molecule is larger than the water molecule.
Insect cuticle is a composite material consisting of a thin lipid-protein-rich
epicuticle covering the bulky procuticle.
Kaolin is an aluminum silicate, nonabrasive dust that when activated by acid and heat treatments has a high specific surface that absorbs the wax in the
epicuticle of insect pests of stored grains (EBELING, 1971).
Their
epicuticle contains a wax layer, which prevents water movement through the cuticle.
Produced by the underlying epidermal cells, the cuticle is composed of four layers (from outer to inner):
epicuticle, exocuticle, endocuticle, and membranous layer (Travis and Friberg, 1963b; Raz et al., 2002).
A new technique for examining the exomorphology of the scorpion
epicuticle is described that utilizes the fluorescent property of scorpion cuticle.