Structural color produced by a three-dimensional photonic polycrystal in the scales of a longhorn beetle: Pseudomyagrus waterhousei (Coleoptera: Cerambicidae)

The cuticle of the longhorn beetle Pseudomyagrus waterhousei shows a diffuse pattern of mixed blue and violet colors. These colorations arise from a dense layer of droplet-shaped scales covering the dorsal parts of the cuticle. In spite of their lack of iridescence, these colors are shown to be stru...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics Vol. 83; no. 1 Pt 1; p. 011908
Main Authors Simonis, Priscilla, Vigneron, Jean Pol
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 18.01.2011
Subjects
Animals
Coleoptera - anatomy & histology
Coleoptera - chemistry
Coleoptera - genetics
Coleoptera - metabolism
Evolution, Molecular
Female
Male
Microscopy, Electron
Models, Biological
Optical Phenomena
Photons
Phylogeny
Pigmentation
Pigments, Biological - chemistry
Pigments, Biological - metabolism
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Summary:The cuticle of the longhorn beetle Pseudomyagrus waterhousei shows a diffuse pattern of mixed blue and violet colors. These colorations arise from a dense layer of droplet-shaped scales covering the dorsal parts of the cuticle. In spite of their lack of iridescence, these colors are shown to be structural and produced by an aggregate of internally ordered photonic-crystal grains. Computer simulations confirm that the blue and violet colors are caused by face-centered-cubic crystallites which dominantly expose their (111) surface to illumination and viewing.
ISSN:1550-2376
DOI:10.1103/physreve.83.011908