Characterization of the iridescence-causing multilayer structure of the Ceroglossus suturalis beetle using bio-inspired optimization strategies.
We investigate the iridescence exhibited by Ceroglossus suturalis beetles, which mostly live endemically in the southern end of South America. Two differently colored specimens have been studied. We observed and characterized the samples by different microscopy techniques, which revealed a multilayer structure within their cuticle. Using measured reflectance spectra as input data, we applied heuristic optimization techniques to estimate the refractive index values of the constituent materials, to be introduced within the theoretical model. The color of the samples was calculated for different incidence angles, showing that multilayer interference is the mechanism responsible for the observed iridescence.
Grupo de Electromagnetismo Aplicado, Departamento de Física, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, and IFIBA, CONICET Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ana
A
Luna
Demetrio
D
Macías
Diana
D
Skigin
Marina
M
Inchaussandague
Daniel
D
Schinca
Miriam
M
Gigli
Alexandre
A
Vial
D000818:Animals; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003116:Color; D010858:Pigmentation; D012031:Refractometry; D013057:Spectrum Analysis