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Comparative study on nanostructured order–disorder in the wing eyespots of the giant owl butterfly, Caligo memnon

Comparative study on nanostructured order–disorder in the wing eyespots of the giant owl butterfly, Caligo memnon

Authors :
Serge Berthier
Malik Maaza
J. Sackey
Thomas Beuvier
Alain Gibaud
Institut des Nanosciences de Paris (INSP)
Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Institut des Molécules et Matériaux du Mans (IMMM)
Le Mans Université (UM)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Source :
IET Nanobiotechnology, IET Nanobiotechnology, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), 2018, 12 (7), pp.951-955. ⟨10.1049/iet-nbt.2017.0320⟩
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
HAL CCSD, 2018.

Abstract

A characteristic feature of the giant owl butterfly, i.e. Caligo memnon , is its big wing eyespot. This feature could serve as deceiving functionality for the butterfly against predators. As evidenced by scanning electron microscope (SEM) image on black part of eyespot, the scales on wing eyespot contain nanostructured ridges and cross-ribs. Applying direct measurement, statistical method, and Fourier analysis, the authors evidence that these nanostructures display order–disorder in their shape and position. The autocorrelation of SEM image provides average values of characteristic periods of the order–disorder nanostructures together with an estimation of corresponding correlation lengths. Linecuts obtained from the Fourier transform of SEM image were also analysed with the Hosemann function to extract similar information. These analyses indicate that the nanostructured order–disorder may contribute to blackness on wing eyespot. The authors thus conclude that the blackness on wing eyespot of C. memnon could be attributed to contributions from both the nanostructured order–disorder and melanin pigment.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17518741 and 1751875X
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
IET Nanobiotechnology, IET Nanobiotechnology, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), 2018, 12 (7), pp.951-955. ⟨10.1049/iet-nbt.2017.0320⟩
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....4e33db896d745156c6988fb97e953ddb
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-nbt.2017.0320⟩