Meeting Abstract
Predators that consume arthropods must break down the chitinous exoskeleton in order to effectively and efficiently digest their prey. This is particularly problematic for small insectivores that eat smaller prey who, by virtue of a larger surface to volume ratio, contain more chitin per unit volume than larger arthropods. The enzyme responsible for digestion of the chitin polymer is chitinase. Chitinase has long been considered a product of the insectivore’s gut biome and not secreted by their own cells. Here, we use the ground skink, Scincella lateralis, to test for chitinase production throughout the digestion of beetle larvae (Tenebrio molitor). We find that chitinase production in both the stomach and intestine initially rise upon consumption, level off, then increases as the materials pass through each section. We also show evidence that the lizard rather than its gut biome produce the chitinase.
