Decoding ladybird’s colours: Structural mechanisms of colour production and pigment modulation (IMAGE)

PLOS

Decoding ladybird’s colours: Structural mechanisms of colour production and pigment modulation

Caption

This explanatory image illustrates how light interacts with the elytra of a ladybird to generate color. The internal structure includes an interference layer that selectively reflects certain wavelengths, depending on its average refractive index. Pigments also contribute to the perceived color: melanin, which absorbs all visible wavelengths, is responsible for the black color of the spots.

Credit

Marzia Carrada, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Usage Restrictions

Credit must be given to the creator.

License

CC BY

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