The main structural component of arthropod cuticle is chitin, a polysaccharide composed of N-acetylglucosamine units, together with proteins, lipids, and catecholamines The proteins and chitin are cross-linked by catecholamines such as N-acetyldopamine, contributing to their rigidity.
Often, in the cuticle of arthropods, structural coloration-producing nanostructures are observed [REF].