| Title |
Sexual Dichromatism of the Damselfly Calopteryx japonica Caused by a Melanin-Chitin Multilayer in the Male Wing Veins
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
PLOS ONE, November 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0049743 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Doekele G. Stavenga, Hein L. Leertouwer, Takahiko Hariyama, Hans A. De Raedt, Bodo D. Wilts |
| Abstract |
Mature male Calopteryx japonica damselflies have dark-blue wings, due to darkly coloured wing membranes and blue reflecting veins. The membranes contain a high melanin concentration and the veins have a multilayer of melanin and chitin. Female and immature C. japonica damselflies have brown wings. We have determined the refractive index of melanin by comparing the differently pigmented wing membranes and applying Jamin-Lebedeff interference microscopy. Together with the previously measured refractive index of chitin the blue, structural colour of the male wing veins could be quantitatively explained by an optical multilayer model. The obtained melanin refractive index data will be useful in optical studies on melanized tissues, especially where melanin is concentrated in layers, thus causing iridescence. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 4 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 1 | 25% |
| Unknown | 3 | 75% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 4 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 70 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 3 | 4% |
| Mexico | 1 | 1% |
| Serbia | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown | 65 | 93% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 19 | 27% |
| Researcher | 14 | 20% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 10 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 8 | 11% |
| Professor | 5 | 7% |
| Other | 7 | 10% |
| Unknown | 7 | 10% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Physics and Astronomy | 19 | 27% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 16 | 23% |
| Materials Science | 6 | 9% |
| Engineering | 4 | 6% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 3 | 4% |
| Other | 12 | 17% |
| Unknown | 10 | 14% |