Do really shrimps inlay calcium to their armours?

Daudin · Post by **Daudin** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:14 am

Hi all,

commonly is claimed that decapod crustaceans inlay calcium to their armours. I read in some doubtful literature source that shrimps are exception. They don´t do it allegedly. Thin and translucent molts indicate it. What do you think about it. What say your literature sources? Thanks.

lampeye · Post by **lampeye** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:15 am

Doing absolutely NO research into this before responding, I do know that arthropods re-absorb some of the non-chitin inclusions to their exoskeletons in the time before a molt, so I would think that appearance of - and even a chemical assay of - the molt itself wouldn't give a complete picture of what is or isn't in the exoskeleton of the live animal.