Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Volume 271, Issue -, Pages S237-S239Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2003.0150
Keywords
butterfly; blackness; structural colour; photonic structure
Categories
Funding
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [JF16983] Funding Source: Medline
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [JF16983] Funding Source: researchfish
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Surfaces of low reflectance are ubiquitous in animate systems. They form essential components of the visual appearance of most living species and can explicitly influence other biological functions such as thermoregulation. The blackness associated with all opaque surfaces of low reflectivity has until now been attributed to strongly absorbing pigmentation alone. Our present study challenges this assumption, demonstrating that in addition to the requirement of absorbing pigmentation, complex nano-structures contribute to the low reflectance of certain natural surfaces. We describe preliminary findings of an investigation into the nature of the black regions observed on the dorsal wings of several Lepidoptera. Specifically, we quantify the optical absorption associated with black wing regions on the butterfly Papilio ulysses and find that the nanostructure of the wing scales of these regions contributes significantly to their black appearance.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available