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The natural transparency and piezoelectric response of the Greta oto butterfly wing

Authors :
Oren D. Leaffer
Valerie R. Binetti
Caroline L. Schauer
Jessica D. Schiffman
Jonathan E. Spanier
Source :
Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro. 1(4)
Publication Year :
2009

Abstract

The Greta oto, or the “glasswing butterfly”, is a member of the Ithomiini tribe. Although rare among lepidopteran, the G. oto’s wings are naturally transparent. To understand the material properties of natural transparency, the various structures on the surface of the wings, both the transparent and brown “veins” and wing parameter regions were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), reflectance spectrometry, transmission spectrometry and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in order to investigate their local structure, periodic character, and electromechanical response. Nanosized protuberances in a highly ordered array were found on the surface of the transparent part similar to that of the “corneal nipple array” found in other insects as an antireflective device.

Details

ISSN :
17579708
Volume :
1
Issue :
4
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....05e60bfce2c7307c0b85aab1e1229b40