Abstract: The cuticular sclerotization is the process of stabilizing the cuticle by the incorporation of phenolic compounds. The sclerotized structures are found throughout the animal kingdom from protozoa to chordates. Sclerotized cuticles vary considerably in terms of hardness and stiffness depending upon their role. However, all have mechanical strength and resistance to chemicals. The phenomenon of sclerotization often takes place immediately after eclosion, sometimes may also happened before ecdysis or in connection with the formation of puparium. The success of insects in evolving flight mechanisms and colonizing in wide range of terrestrial habitats resulted in large part from the development of a light-weight organically hardened exoskeleton more than 300 million years ago. The organic structure was much better adapted to terrestrial insects than in the mineralized exoskeleton of marine insects.
Keywords: Cuticle, Sclerotization, tanning, Tyrosine, Insect, etc.
Title: Sclerotization in Insects
Author: Nasiya-Beegum A. N.
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
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