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Wang S, McNamara ME, Wang B, Hui H, Jiang B. The origins of colour patterns in fossil insects revealed by maturation experiments. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231333. [PMID: 37727088 PMCID: PMC10509590 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Many fossil insects show monochromatic colour patterns that may provide valuable insights into ancient insect behaviour and ecology. Whether these patterns reflect original pigmentary coloration is, however, unknown, and their formation mechanism has not been investigated. Here, we performed thermal maturation experiments on extant beetles with melanin-based colour patterns. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that melanin-rich cuticle is more resistant to degradation than melanin-poor cuticle: with progressive maturation, melanin-poor cuticle regions experience preferential thinning and loss, yet melanin-rich cuticle remains. Comparative analysis of fossil insects with monotonal colour patterns confirms that the variations in tone correspond to variations in preserved cuticle thickness. These preserved colour patterns can thus be plausibly explained as melanin-based patterning. Recognition of melanin-based colour patterns in fossil insects opens new avenues for interpreting the evolution of insect coloration and behaviour through deep time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research & Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland
- Environmental Research Institute, Ellen Hutchins Building, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Maria E. McNamara
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland
- Environmental Research Institute, Ellen Hutchins Building, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hejiu Hui
- State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research & Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Baoyu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research & Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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Microstructural design for mechanical-optical multifunctionality in the exoskeleton of the flower beetle Torynorrhina flammea. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2101017118. [PMID: 34140412 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101017118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological systems have a remarkable capability of synthesizing multifunctional materials that are adapted for specific physiological and ecological needs. When exploring structure-function relationships related to multifunctionality in nature, it can be a challenging task to address performance synergies, trade-offs, and the relative importance of different functions in biological materials, which, in turn, can hinder our ability to successfully develop their synthetic bioinspired counterparts. Here, we investigate such relationships between the mechanical and optical properties in a multifunctional biological material found in the highly protective yet conspicuously colored exoskeleton of the flower beetle, Torynorrhina flammea Combining experimental, computational, and theoretical approaches, we demonstrate that a micropillar-reinforced photonic multilayer in the beetle's exoskeleton simultaneously enhances mechanical robustness and optical appearance, giving rise to optical damage tolerance. Compared with plain multilayer structures, stiffer vertical micropillars increase stiffness and elastic recovery, restrain the formation of shear bands, and enhance delamination resistance. The micropillars also scatter the reflected light at larger polar angles, enhancing the first optical diffraction order, which makes the reflected color visible from a wider range of viewing angles. The synergistic effect of the improved angular reflectivity and damage localization capability contributes to the optical damage tolerance. Our systematic structural analysis of T. flammea's different color polymorphs and parametric optical and mechanical modeling further suggest that the beetle's microarchitecture is optimized toward maximizing the first-order optical diffraction rather than its mechanical stiffness. These findings shed light on material-level design strategies utilized in biological systems for achieving multifunctionality and could thus inform bioinspired material innovations.
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Chen W, Ma K, Duan P, Ouyang G, Zhu X, Zhang L, Liu M. Circularly polarized luminescence of nanoassemblies via multi-dimensional chiral architecture control. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:19497-19515. [PMID: 32966505 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr04239k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials are currently an important class of chiroptical materials that are attracting increasing interest. Nanoassemblies constructed from chiral or achiral building blocks show great potential for achieving CPL-active nanomaterials with high quantum yields and dissymmetry factors, which is crucial for further applications. In nanoassemblies, the dimensional morphology affects the chiroptical properties significantly since the microscopic packing modes will affect the luminescence processes and chirality transfer processes. In this review, we will show some examples for illustrating the relationship between multi-dimensional morphology and chiroptical properties. Furthermore, with dimensional morphology tuning, higher dissymmetry factors would be obtained. We hope to provide a useful and powerful insight into the design and control of CPL-active nanoassemblies via morphology control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing 100190, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kai Ma
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Beijing 100190, China and State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Pengfei Duan
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Beijing 100190, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guanghui Ouyang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing 100190, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuefeng Zhu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing 100190, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Minghua Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing 100190, China. and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Beijing 100190, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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