Chitin-binding protein that is important for the longitudinal contraction and lateral expansion of the larval cuticle during its conversion into the oval-shaped puparium case. Essential for survival to the second instar larval stage. Confers the orientated contractility and expandability of the larval cuticle by regulating the arrangement of chitin and the formation of supracellular ridges on the cuticle of third instar larvae. Essential for determining pupal body shape; required for the orientated shape change of the cuticle during metamorphosis which involves changes in the morphology of the supracellular ridges. Mainly involved in regulating pupal shape. Mainly involved in larvae survival, possibly by maintaining the normal morphology of the larval hindgut during development. Uniformly expressed throughout the cuticle of third instar larva. Larval lethal at the first instar stage. Hindgut development during embryogenesis appears normal but at the first instar larval stage the hindgut protrudes out of the anus and probably causes the lethality.