New to Parasitology: Learn About Moulting, Cuticles & Decortication

[sameeralord]

Hello guys,

What does moulting mean. I think it is shedding off the cuticle. But what is the cuticle. Is the outer protecting covering of the larvae, or does the adult have it too. Do you have like multiple cuticle layers to begin with, and then shed them off or you grow a new cuticle and then shed the old one. Do adult parasites also moult. When you see a histological appearance of an egg (example ascaris lumbricoides pic below, can you see the cuticle as well, or does the larvae only have this)

http://dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/images/ParasiteImages/A-F/Ascariasis/Ascaris_egg_fert_decort_200x.jpg

Also can the female egg just lay eggs without mating with a male partner, are these called unfertilized eggs. Also what are decorticated. Thanks

 

[mishrashubham]

What does moulting mean. I think it is shedding off the cuticle. But what is the cuticle. Is the outer protecting covering of the larvae, or does the adult have it too.

Right the cuticle is simply the hard outer covering of the arthropod that forms its exoskeleton. It is present in both the larval and adult stages although there are structural differences between the two.
Check en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysis and
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropod_cuticle

Do you have like multiple cuticle layers to begin with, and then shed them off or you grow a new cuticle and then shed the old one.

Technically there is just a single cuticle layer although new layers are formed while moulting.

Do adult parasites also moult.

They definitely do.

When you mating with a male partner, are these called unfertilized eggs.

This is an interesting phenomenon called parthenogenesis.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenogenesis

I couldn't understand your question about decortication:

 

[sameeralord]

Right the cuticle is simply the hard outer covering of the arthropod that forms its exoskeleton. It is present in both the larval and adult stages although there are structural differences between the two.
Check en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecdysis and
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropod_cuticle




Technically there is just a single cuticle layer although new layers are formed while moulting.



They definitely do.



This is an interesting phenomenon called parthenogenesis.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenogenesis

I couldn't understand your question about decortication:

Thanks I understand now A new question for you : In the parasite entamoeba histolytics there are 4 nuclei in a cyst. But the cyst is formed from a single trophozoite with one nucleus. So does it divide later to form 4 nuclei cyst?

 

[mishrashubham]

Thanks I understand now A new question for you : In the parasite entamoeba histolytics there are 4 nuclei in a cyst. But the cyst is formed from a single trophozoite with one nucleus. So does it divide later to form 4 nuclei cyst?

Right, two nuclear divisions within the cyst result in four nuclei.