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Science 25 August 1972:
Vol. 177. no. 4050, pp. 699 - 701
DOI: 10.1126/science.177.4050.699
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Articles

Nitrogen Excretion in Cockroaches: Uric Acid Is Not a Major Product

D. E. Mullins 1 and D. G. Cochran 1

1 Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061

Thin-layer chromatographic and enzymatic spectrophotometric analyses have failed to detect uric acid in fecal extracts from American cockroaches on specified diets. Uric acid appears in the excreta when it is a dietary constituent, although most of it is apparently absorbed and stored internally. Surprisingly, ammonia is a major excretory product.


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