exuvia

English
A dragonfly shedding the integument it wore as a nymph. The nymphal shell will remain as the exuvia. The white filaments hanging out of the exuvia are the linings of the tracheae, showing that they too are part of the integument.
This dragonfly has left its slate-grey exuvia and is expanding its new, soft integument to full size before it hardens. Note that the exuvia shows every detail of the external anatomy of the nymph, including eyes, mouthparts, antennae and bristles

Etymology

From Latin exuvia, from exuo.

Noun

exuvia (plural exuviae)

  1. (biology) The remains of the exoskeleton after any member of the Arthropoda, such as an insect, crustacean or arachnid has sloughed, discarding its old integument and developing the new one.

See also

Latin

Etymology

From exuō.

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ekˈsu.wi.a/, [ɛkˈsʊ.wi.a]

Noun

exuvia f (genitive exuviae); first declension

  1. (chiefly in the plural) spoils, booty; skin of a snake etc. sloughed off

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative exuvia exuviae
Genitive exuviae exuviārum
Dative exuviae exuviīs
Accusative exuviam exuviās
Ablative exuviā exuviīs
Vocative exuvia exuviae

Descendants
  • Portuguese: exúvia
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