Preservation of iridescent colours in Phorinia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera: Tachinidae)

By

Braet, Yves
Downes, Stephen
Simonis, Priscilla

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016-1-7

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

4

Pages

1--14

Subjects

Entomology , iridescence , Photonic crystal , pigments , Structural colour

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e5407

 

Abstract

Iridescent blue-green colours are exhibited by various organisms including several taxa in the Tachinidae (Diptera) with notable examples within the Afrotropical members of the genus Phorinia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830. The vivid colouration observed in life quickly fades to a dull golden-yellow when a specimen is dried. Although well known, no published explanation has been given for this phenomenon.<br> We illustrate the mechanism associated with this colour change. We also test and propose technical alternatives to retain the living colours in dried specimens.