DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201.9.1307. Multilayer Reflectors in Animals Using Green and Gold Beetles as Contrasting Examples

Multilayer Reflectors in Animals Using Green and Gold Beetles as Contrasting Examples

10.1242/jeb.201.9.1307

Crossref journal-article

The Company of Biologists

Journal of Experimental Biology (237)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The light reflectors in the beetles Calloodes grayanus and Anoplognathus parvulus are examined. Contrasting multilayer reflectors are revealed. Calloodes grayanus appears a weak green colour, matching its background leaves, while A. parvulus is strongly metallic-gold coloured. The former reflection is diffuse, as the result of a structure causing scattering that overlies the multilayer reflector, whereas the latter reflection is strongly directional. The green colour of C. grayanus is achieved by a multilayer reflector with a fixed spatial periodicity, here termed ‘regular’, which is far removed from the quarterwave, or physically ‘ideal’, condition. The gold colour of A. parvulus is achieved by a type of reflector which involves systematically changing optical thicknesses of the component layers with depth in the structure. A layer of melanin underlies the reflector of C. grayanus to absorb the transmitted portion of light and prevent its back-reflectance, which would otherwise alter the green colour. The resultant structural reflectance from C. grayanus effectively matches green pigments, which are rare in beetles.

Bibliography

Parker, A. R., Mckenzie, D. R., & Large, M. C. J. (1998). Multilayer Reflectors in Animals Using Green and Gold Beetles as Contrasting Examples. Journal of Experimental Biology, 201(9), 1307â1313.

Authors 3

Andrew R. Parker (first)
David R. Mckenzie (additional)
Maryanne C. J. Large (additional)

References 18 Referenced 175

10.1038/251507a0 / Nature / Evidence for two mechanisms of sclerotization in insect cuticle by Anderson (1974)
10.1016/0022-1910(75)90091-8 / J. Insect Physiol / Cuticular sclerotization in the beetles Pachynoda epphipiata and Tenebrio molitor by Anderson (1975)
{'key': '2024032020405715200_JEXBIO_201_9_1307C3', 'first-page': '416', 'article-title': 'Interference filters in the corneas of Diptera', 'volume': '7', 'author': 'Bernard', 'year': '1968', 'journal-title': 'Invest. Ophthalmol'} / Invest. Ophthalmol / Interference filters in the corneas of Diptera by Bernard (1968)
10.1098/rspb.1971.0062 / Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B / Cuticle reflectivity and optical activity in scarab beetles by Caveney (1971)
{'key': '2024032020405715200_JEXBIO_201_9_1307C5', 'volume-title': 'Adaptive Coloration in Animals', 'author': 'Cott', 'year': '1940'} / Adaptive Coloration in Animals by Cott (1940)
{'key': '2024032020405715200_JEXBIO_201_9_1307C6', 'volume-title': 'The Biology of the Coleoptera', 'author': 'Crowson', 'year': '1981'} / The Biology of the Coleoptera by Crowson (1981)
{'key': '2024032020405715200_JEXBIO_201_9_1307C7', 'first-page': '43', 'article-title': 'Mechanism of reflexion in silvery layers of fish and cephalopods', 'volume': '178', 'author': 'Denton', 'year': '1971', 'journal-title': 'Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A'} / Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A / Mechanism of reflexion in silvery layers of fish and cephalopods by Denton (1971)
10.1017/S0025315400016544 / J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K / Reflexion of light by external surfaces of the herring, Clupea harengus by Denton (1965)
10.1016/S0304-3940(96)12431-9 / Neurosci. Lett / Effects of different patterns of light adaptation on cellular and synaptic plasticity in teleost retina: comparison of flickering and steady lights by Haamedi (1996)
10.1016/0300-9629(94)90192-9 / Comp. Biochem. Physiol / Reflective systems in aquatic animals by Herring (1994)
10.1016/0022-1910(73)90064-4 / J. Insect Physiol / Physiological colour changes in the elytra of the Hercules beetles Dynastes hercules by Hinton (1973)
10.1016/0079-6107(72)90004-1 / Progr. Biophys. molec. Biol / The physics and biology of animal reflectors by Land (1972)
{'key': '2024032020405715200_JEXBIO_201_9_1307C13', 'volume-title': 'Thin Film Optical Filters', 'author': 'Macleod', 'year': '1969'} / Thin Film Optical Filters by Macleod (1969)
10.1098/rspa.1995.0144 / Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A / Silvery fish skin as an example of a chaotic reflector by Mckenzie (1995)
10.1016/0022-1910(77)90069-5 / J. Insect Physiol / Metallic gold and silver colours in some insect cuticles by Neville (1977)
10.1049/el:19950586 / Electronics Lett / Dispersion compensation using chirped sampled fibre Bragg gratings by Ouellette (1995)
10.1111/j.1095-8312.1977.tb00275.x / Biol. J. Linn. Soc / A preliminary survey of ultraviolet reflectance in beetles by Pope (1977)
10.1126/science.860137 / Science / Infrared reflectance in leaf-sitting neotropical frogs by Schwalm (1977)

Dates

Type	When
Created	4 years, 4 months ago (April 25, 2021, 1:26 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 5 months ago (March 20, 2024, 4:41 p.m.)
Indexed	2 weeks, 6 days ago (Aug. 5, 2025, 8:21 a.m.)
Issued	27 years, 3 months ago (May 1, 1998)
Published	27 years, 3 months ago (May 1, 1998)
Published Online	27 years, 3 months ago (May 1, 1998)
Published Print	27 years, 3 months ago (May 1, 1998)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Parker_1998, title={Multilayer Reflectors in Animals Using Green and Gold Beetles as Contrasting Examples}, volume={201}, ISSN={1477-9145}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.201.9.1307}, DOI={10.1242/jeb.201.9.1307}, number={9}, journal={Journal of Experimental Biology}, publisher={The Company of Biologists}, author={Parker, Andrew R. and Mckenzie, David R. and Large, Maryanne C. J.}, year={1998}, month=may, pages={1307–1313} }

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