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| jorgemotalmeida |
Posted on 25-02-2007 19:05
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 Member Location: Viseu - PORTUGAL Posts: 9296 Joined: 05.06.06 |
Hi Anyone knows which is the chemical composition of dipter wings? The veins are scletorized by chitin, right? and the rest of wing? Is it made by which composition? clarify me, please.  And what about halteres? |
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| diphascon |
Posted on 26-02-2007 14:31
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Member Location: Posts: 85 Joined: 26.07.05 |
hello Jorge, Chitin, as a major component of the arthropode integument, is 'per se' not so hard or 'sclerotized'. Sclerotization happens by addition of some protein (arthropodin), that gets hard when phenolated ('tanning' ), or some carbonate (e.g. in lobsters and such). At articulations etc. where the exoskeleton must be flexible, chitin is also present, but thinner and softer (not or barely sclerotized). So the wings of insects are not principally different from the rest of the exoskeleton, they are mostly chitin and protein. The veins are derivates of tracheae (breathing tubes), that are necessary for stability and for the inflation (spreading) of the wings after moulting (the wings are literally pumped up). Hope that befuddles ;-) martin (heavily experiencing his limits of writing in a foreign tounge). p.s. Halteres, in some way, ARE wings ... no special chemistry here. Edited by diphascon on 26-02-2007 14:35 |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 26-02-2007 14:53
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 Super Administrator Location: Netherlands Posts: 19403 Joined: 11.05.04 |
diphascon wrote: martin (heavily experiencing his limits of writing in a foreign tounge). Well, you are doing very well! Push those limits further! Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| jorgemotalmeida |
Posted on 26-02-2007 16:20
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Member Location: Viseu - PORTUGAL Posts: 9296 Joined: 05.06.06 |
very good English. Even better than some English natives!  ehehe Much better than my crap English.  I grasped it all Thank you very much! I knew that halteres are vestigial wings. It is not beffudled.  Cheers |
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| diphascon |
Posted on 27-02-2007 11:19
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Member Location: Posts: 85 Joined: 26.07.05 |
Hello Paul and Jorge, thanks for you appreciation. I forgot to mention: the hardened. phenolated arthropodin is called sclerotin ... cheers - martin |
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