Naoki Maruyama¹, Toratane Munegumi^1,

Cicada shells are widely available and have been used to teach insect anatomy; their tactile nature is ideal for students who are reluctant to handle living insects. The main component of cicada shells is chitin, which has a polymer structure of N-acetylglucosamine that produces an amorphous gel in neutral aqueous solutions. Glucosamine has a reducing group (hemiacetal structure) and an amino group, and these functional groups can be detected with Benedict reagent and ninhydrin, respectively. This research proposes a procedure to detect the glucosamine structural features present in cicada shells and highlights the link between chemicals in the cicada shells and the environment. Cicada shells can thus be useful for teaching classes about chemicals and their role in the environment.

cicada shells, chitin, glucosamine, educational materials, environmental cycles