Abstract
The crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) is the most conserved and ubiquitous neuropeptide in arthropods. In insects, crustaceans, and probably other arthropods, it is produced by a conserved network of neurons in the ventral nerve cord (cells 27/704). This cyclic amidated peptide increases the heartbeat in crustaceans and insects, and together with other peptides (myoinhibitory peptides and bursicon) is a central signal for the initiation of ecdysis behavior. CCAP probably controls this behavior in crustaceans, as indicated by its considerably increased levels in the hemolymph during the ecdysis of several crab species. In the feeding cockroach, CCAP is released from the midgut endocrine cells to stimulate α-amylase and protease activity in the intestine.
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