Path followed:
1. Is the fault in the components that perform any physical action?
Answer: Yes
2. Is the fault in components that move?
Answer: Yes
3. Is the fault in components that make the mechanism move?
Answer: Yes
4. Is the faulty component designed to move the mechanism around?
Answer: Yes
5. Is the faulty component needed for stability?
Answer: Yes
6. Does the faulty component manipulate smaller objects?
Answer: No
7. Are there any external resources that can be used by the mechanism?
Answer: No
8. Does the adaptation continue after replacing the faulty component?
Answer: Yes
9. Does any material need to be removed before the adaptation takes place?
Answer: Yes
7) Stick insects, Sipyloidea sipylus
Stick insects are found on every continent except Antarctica and range in size from 0.46 inch to 12.9 inches (Salmon). They are able to shed legs in order to escape predation and can regrow them.
Stick insects have the ability to regrow an amputated leg but only when they are in the nymph stage of growing. Stick insects cannot grow any larger unless it sheds its exoskeleton, which is the process called molting, and the reason why they canÕt regenerate a limb once they reach adulthood. The leg is usually broken off at the coxal-trochanteral joint, which is covered by a small black cap (Aldaz and Luis). The cap covers the imaginal disc made up of epithelial cells, which proliferate and make the leg grow (Aldaz and Luis). Once the body has reached its maximum size in the exoskeleton the insect will undergo molting. Their existing cuticles weakening at specific points along the body allows for air to seep under the exoskeleton and separate it from the new skin to cause molting (Aldaz and Luis). The stick insect will then hang upside down and crawl out of its exoskeleton inflating its new skin and causing it to get bigger. If the leg was lost in the first instar, developmental stage between molts, the leg will just be slightly smaller than the legs that were not amputated. If it was lost in the second or third instar it will be much smaller.
Salmon, J. T. “Stick Insects.” Tuatara: Journal of the Biological Society 5.3 (1955): 77-79. Victoria University of Wellington Library. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bio05Tuat03-t1-body-d1.html
Aldaz, Silvia, and Luis M. Escudero. “Imaginal Discs.” Current Biology 20.10 (2010): R429-431. Cell Press. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
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