Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers
Summary: Currently known structural colors in feathers are caused by light scattering from periodic or amorphous arrangements of keratin, melanin, and air within barbs and barbules that comprise the feather vane. Structural coloration in the largest part of the feather, the central rachis, is rare....
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | iScience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422202185X |
| _version_ | 1797946132248133632 |
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| author | Chad M. Eliason Julia A. Clarke Suzanne Amador Kane |
| author_facet | Chad M. Eliason Julia A. Clarke Suzanne Amador Kane |
| author_sort | Chad M. Eliason |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Currently known structural colors in feathers are caused by light scattering from periodic or amorphous arrangements of keratin, melanin, and air within barbs and barbules that comprise the feather vane. Structural coloration in the largest part of the feather, the central rachis, is rare. Here, we report on an investigation of the physical mechanisms underlying the only known case of structural coloration in the rachis, the blue rachis of great argus (Argusianus argus) flight feathers. Spectrophotometry revealed a reflectance peak at 344 nm that is diffuse and well matched to the blue and UV-sensitive cone sensitivities of this species’ visual system. A combination of electron microscopy and optical modeling confirmed blue coloration is generated by scattering from amorphous wrinkle nanostructures 125 nm deep and 385 nm apart, a new avian coloration mechanism. These findings have implications for understanding how novel courtship phenotypes arise through evolutionary modification of existing ontogenetic templates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:06:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-143ebcbbf3c54f23ad8a17258affadfc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2589-0042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:06:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iScience |
| spelling | doaj.art-143ebcbbf3c54f23ad8a17258affadfc2023-01-22T04:41:51ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422023-01-01261105912Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathersChad M. Eliason0Julia A. Clarke1Suzanne Amador Kane2Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605, USA; Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605, USA; Corresponding authorJackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAPhysics & Astronomy Department, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 19041, USASummary: Currently known structural colors in feathers are caused by light scattering from periodic or amorphous arrangements of keratin, melanin, and air within barbs and barbules that comprise the feather vane. Structural coloration in the largest part of the feather, the central rachis, is rare. Here, we report on an investigation of the physical mechanisms underlying the only known case of structural coloration in the rachis, the blue rachis of great argus (Argusianus argus) flight feathers. Spectrophotometry revealed a reflectance peak at 344 nm that is diffuse and well matched to the blue and UV-sensitive cone sensitivities of this species’ visual system. A combination of electron microscopy and optical modeling confirmed blue coloration is generated by scattering from amorphous wrinkle nanostructures 125 nm deep and 385 nm apart, a new avian coloration mechanism. These findings have implications for understanding how novel courtship phenotypes arise through evolutionary modification of existing ontogenetic templates.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422202185XBiological sciencesStructural biology |
| spellingShingle | Chad M. Eliason Julia A. Clarke Suzanne Amador Kane Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers iScience Biological sciences Structural biology |
| title | Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| title_full | Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| title_fullStr | Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| title_short | Wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| title_sort | wrinkle nanostructures generate a novel form of blue structural color in great argus flight feathers |
| topic | Biological sciences Structural biology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422202185X |
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