Anatomy Q: What's the white stuff?

Cirith Ungol

Ministry of Fluffy Bunnies
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Ok that was a bit vague... but I wanted no titanic title :D

What's the white stuff that makes up a T's joints? Good old cartilage? Just like we have? Or is it somehow different? :?
 

Snowball

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I'd like to know that also...I noticed it yesterday on my T and was wondering.
 

cheetah13mo

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The white stuff your talking about is the exoskeleton in a plyable state. Have you ever taken a thin peice of plastic and put a bend or crease in it. It turns white from the loosening of molecules to make it more plyable. Compare it to the straws with the flexable, achordian like neck on them. At the joint, where it flexes, the straw is whiter at that point than anywhere else. I hope I explained this good enough. Let me know if I didn't or I'm way off because I didn't understand the question.
 

Gigas

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Yes but is it made out of chitn like the rest of the skeleton?
 

AphonopelmaTX

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Ok that was a bit vague... but I wanted no titanic title :D

What's the white stuff that makes up a T's joints? Good old cartilage? Just like we have? Or is it somehow different? :?
A spider's (including tarantulas) exoskeleton is made up of several different layers with the exocuticle being the tough non-flexible "armor" found everywhere except the abdomen and appendage joints. There's an additional waxy layer ontop of the exocuticle which prevents moisture loss from the body.

The "white" stuff isn't really "stuff" in that it is the same cuticle found everywhere else on a spider's body but just lacking the exocuticle/ "armor" which is why it looks different and which is why the joints are flexible.

- Lonnie
 

pronty

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Cirith :D Have you noticed how T's have the white stuff on their leg segments too? On some T's they are surrounded by different colored hair (for example G. aureostriata) I've been wondering if it allows the T's legs to expand in premolt/molt :confused:
When T's get ready for a molt those areas still remain transparent while the rest of the skin gets very dark. With a bright flashlight you can see when a T is getting ready for a molt :)
 

Cirith Ungol

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What, you mean the stripes that go parallel to the legs? No I havn't noticed that! Cool stuff :D
 

pronty

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hmm now that I looked an old molt of my aureostriata with worn out knees, they didn't seem to have the white stuff on them :confused: I guess I've seen the white stuff after a molt when the new skin is white :p anyways the weird stripes don't have any hair and do look light when viewed with a flashlight. I guess they just were so glossy that they seemed white :D
 
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