Effects of cuticle structure and crystalline wax coverage on the coloration in young and old males of Calopteryx splendens and Calopteryx virgo

Kuitunen, Katja; Gorb, Stanislav N.

doi:10.1016/j.zool.2011.01.003

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…This is absent from the FFTs of the M. cyaneipennis AFM data. While surface roughness is often present in biological structures as a result of both imperfections in structure and functional surface coatings [18,23,24], surface wrinkling is, however, far less common. In order to obtain an estimate of the extent to which this type of wrinkling alters the reflectance and the optical properties of a multilayer structure, the R. resplendens and M. cyaneipennis samples were examined using an imaging scatterometer arrangement.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wrinkles enhance the diffuse reflection from the dragonflyRhyothemis resplendens

Nixon

Orr

Vukusic

2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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The dorsal surfaces of the hindwings of the dragonfly Rhyothemis resplendens (Odonata: Libellulidae) reflect a deep blue from the multilayer structure in its wing membrane. The layers within this structure are not flat, but distinctly 'wrinkled', with a thickness of several hundred nanometres and interwrinkle crest distances of 5 mm and greater. A comparison between the backscattered light from R. resplendens and a similar, but un-'wrinkled' multilayer in the damselfly Matronoides cyaneipennis (Odonata: Calopterygidae) shows that the angle over which incident light is backscattered is increased by the wrinkling in the R. resplendens structure. Whereas the reflection from the flat multilayer of M. cyaneipennis is effectively specular, the reflection from the wrinkled R. resplendens multilayer spans 1.47 steradians (equivalent to +408 for all azimuthal angles). This property enhances the visibility of the static wing over a broader angle range than is normally associated with a smooth multilayer, thereby markedly increasing its conspicuousness.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wrinkles enhance the diffuse reflection from the dragonflyRhyothemis resplendens

Nixon

Orr

Vukusic

2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…The wax was then removed from the wings by rinsing them in 20 ml of warm (60°C) chloroform for 20 s (Kuitunen and Gorb, 2011). After wax removal, the measurements of optical spectra were repeated.…”

Section: Wax Removalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2f and g) or crushed crystals ( Fig. 2h) (Kuitunen and Gorb, 2011). We calculated values of brightness, hue, and chroma (Endler, 1990) according to the CIELAB pattern of colour measurements.…”

Section: Wax Crystals Morphology and Its Effect On Colourationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanism of the wing colouration in the dragonfly Zenithoptera lanei (Odonata: Libellulidae) and its role in intraspecific communication

Ferreira

Bispo

Appel

et al. 2015

Journal of Insect Physiology

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Zenithoptera dragonflies are known for their remarkable bluish colouration on their wings and unique male behaviour of folding and unfolding their wings while perching. However, nothing is known about the optical properties of such colouration and its structural and functional background. In this paper, we aimed to study the relationship between the wing membrane ultrastructure, surface microstructure and colour spectra of male wings in Zenithoptera lanei and test the hypothesis that colouration functions as a signal in territorial fights between males. The results show that the specific wing colouration derives from interference in alternating layers of melanized and unmelanized cuticle in the wing membrane, combined with diffuse scattering in two different layers of wax crystals on the dorsal wing surface, one lower layer of long filaments, and one upper layer of leaf-shaped crystals. The results also show that the thicker wax coverage of the dorsal surface of the wings results in increased brightness and reduced chroma. In the field experiments, we have demonstrated that there is a reduction of aggressive reactions of rivals towards individuals with experimentally reduced amount of blue wing colouration.

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“…Accumulation of water droplets or dirt may also increase an organism's weight thus increasing exposure to predators [3]. The effect of age on the nanoscale wax coverage has been previously studied in Calopteryx splendens and Calopteryx virgo damselfly males [27]. Surprisingly, in these species the condition of wax layer on abdomen is better in older than younger males.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Surprisingly, in these species the condition of wax layer on abdomen is better in older than younger males. It cannot be excluded, however, that this difference is a result of better survival of males with good quality wax coverage [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-Related Effects in the Superhydrophobic Properties of Damselfly Wings in Young and Old Calopteryx splendens

2014

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Numerous sex-related morphological adaptations are connected to reproductive behavior in animals. For example, females of some insect species can submerge during oviposition, which may lead to sex-related adaptations in the hydrophobicity (water-repellency) due to specialization of certain morphological structures. On the other hand, ageing can cause changes in hydrophobicity of the surface, because the morphological structures can wear with age. Here, we investigated sex-and age-related differences in wing hydrophobicity and in morphology (spine density, wax cover characteristics, size of females' pseudopterostigma) potentially related to hydrophobicity of Calopteryx splendens damselflies. Hydrophobicity was measured with two methods, by measuring the contact angle (CA) between a wing and water droplet, and by dipping a wing into water and measuring forces needed to submerge, withdraw, and pull-out a wing from water. We found that C. splendens wings are superhydrophobic, having mean CAs of 161°. The only sex and age related difference in the hydrophobicity measurements was that young females had stronger amplitude of force fluctuations during withdrawal of wings from water than young males. This suggests that young females may form less uniform air pockets on their wings while submerged. From the morphological structures measured here, the only sex related finding was that old females had denser spine cover than young females in their wing veins. The difference may be explained by better survival of females with denser spine cover. The most important morphological character that predicted superhydrophobicity was the prevalence of long wax rods on wing veins. In addition, female pseudopterostigma area (a trait present only in females) was negatively related to pull-out force, suggesting that large pseudopterostigmas might help females to emerge from water following oviposition. The subtle sex-related differences in hydrophobicity could be explained by the fact that both sexes must resist rain, and males are occasionally in contact with water.

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Effects of cuticle structure and crystalline wax coverage on the coloration in young and old males of Calopteryx splendens and Calopteryx virgo

Cited by 17 publications

References 42 publications

Wrinkles enhance the diffuse reflection from the dragonflyRhyothemis resplendens

Wrinkles enhance the diffuse reflection from the dragonflyRhyothemis resplendens

Mechanism of the wing colouration in the dragonfly Zenithoptera lanei (Odonata: Libellulidae) and its role in intraspecific communication

Sex-Related Effects in the Superhydrophobic Properties of Damselfly Wings in Young and Old Calopteryx splendens

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