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Fortean Times Message Board :: View topic - Colour changing butterfly
About three weeks ago, I was hiking in the foothills of Dakeng, Taiwan, and I noticed a handsome butterfly with a white spot on each of its back wings.
I was sitting in a pagoda enjoying the view, and I called my girlfriend over to take a look.
This time, the butterflys spots were pink.
We watched in amazement as the spots turned violet and then blue, and back to white, and went through the whole cycle again and again.
The butterfly wasn't going anywhere, and we were close enough to get a really good look, and we both confirmed that it wasn't light interference, but that the spots were actually changing colour within the wings.
The nearest I can describe the effect is as if someone was dripping ink onto wet watercolour paper.
I've done a fair bit of research but so far have been unable to identify this species.
Any clues? I'm harbouring fantasies of having identified an unknown species...
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You should have captured it in a net and pinned it to a board.
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Excellent idea, Emps!
I will go back tomorrow and capture one and cut it open to discover the intricate workings inside!
Cheers mate!
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Such is the way science progresses.
Lets be honest if its the last of its species then you'd be doing it a favour.
Can you completely rule out iridescence?
It can be awfully subtle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridescence
Its times like these that you wish everyone had camera phones to take little video clips with
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It was definately not iridescence..what I'll do is net one and pull off its wing to send to you...then you can see for yourself.
Last edited by theredmeanie on 02-06-2006 20:06;
Edited 1 time in total
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My first thought was along the lines of iridescence - you can see similar colur changes in a CD held in the sunlight (although strictly speaking that is a diffraction effect - the grooves on the disc act like a diffraction grating, producing all the colours of the rainbow at various angles).
The other thought was that this is some sort of signalling using chromatophores.
The most complex examples of this are seen in squid and octopi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore
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Quote: : It was definately not iridescence..what I'll do is net one and pull off its wing to send to you...then you can see for yourself.
Cool - takes me back to my childhood (although strictly speaking they were peacocks and no proved nothing).
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Quote: : The other thought was that this is some sort of signalling using chromatophores.
The most complex examples of this are seen in squid and octopi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore
This is a more accurate description of the colour change.
It seemed to happen in waves, and was opaque, rather than the metallic shimmer you'd get from iridescence.
I was reminded of a squid or an octopus when i saw it.
The weather here is appaling at the moment, but as soon as it clears up, I'll get out there armed with a digital camera and try and get some moving footage.
Pigment translocation seems to be the most likely contender at the moment.
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Are there any examples of this within insects?
I thought this was a property of more complex organisms.
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Quote: : Are there any examples of this within insects?
I thought this was a property of more complex organisms.
I've no idea.
I would have assumed so too, but the description of pigment translocation seems to be close to what I saw.
I wonder if it was in order to attract a mate?
BTW, GD, you really shouldn't infer that insects are less complex than other organisms.
They are terribly fragile emotionally.
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Well the Morpho butterfly has wings that change colour to do light diffraction.
But I guess you don't think that is what caused it.
Maybe it had just gotten some soap water on it's wings.
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Quote: : Quote: :
Are there any examples of this within insects?
I thought this was a property of more complex organisms.
I've no idea.
I would have assumed so too, but the description of pigment translocation seems to be close to what I saw.
I wonder if it was in order to attract a mate?
BTW, GD, you really shouldn't infer that insects are less complex than other organisms.
They are terribly fragile emotionally.
ARe you saying that I might give them (The insects) a complex?
C'mon insects, stiff upper chittinous ridge or mouthparts.
(Cor, look at what it has come to...me giving emotional counselling to bugs).
Puts on boots...
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