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Q&A ViewAttendees 4

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

10-Minute Paper

SysEB: Morphology

Cicada mouthparts have metal ions present in the cuticle

Sunday, October 31, 2021
1:30 PM – 1:42 PM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 501-502
In-Person
Arthropod structures that are prone to wear or subject to stress often have cuticle that is strengthened by sequestered metal ions. Metal-enriched cuticle has been reported in the mandibles and ovipositors of several insect groups. Adult cicadas use their mouthparts to pierce through woody tissue to reach the xylem on which they feed; therefore, we hypothesized that the cuticle of their mouthparts might be enriched with metals. We examined the elemental composition of the cuticle of four species of cicadas, including one annual and three periodical cicadas, using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We found that all species have metals in their mouthpart structures, with variation in metal concentrations among species. Metals, primarily zinc and manganese, are found in the greatest concentrations near the distal end of the mandibles and maxillae, with the mandibles having the most metal enhancement of the mouthpart structures. Our findings, coupled with previous studies of metals in cicada ovipositors, suggest that the metals are an important component for structures that must penetrate woody tissues.