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Blue Morpho


Blue Morpho
Photo Information
Copyright: Siegfried Potrykus (neusser0204) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 495 W: 48 N: 1830] (7252)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-08
Categories: Nature
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-11-01 1:26
Viewed: 87
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Photographed in the butterfly house.
A Morpho butterfly may be one of over 80 species of the genus Morpho. They are Neotropical butterflies found mostly in South America as well as Mexico and Central America. Morphos range in wingspan from the 7.5 cm (3 inch) M. rhodopteron to the imposing 20 cm (8 inch) Sunset Morpho, M. hecuba. The name Morpho, meaning changed or modified, is also an epithet of Aphrodite and Venus.
Coloration
Many Morpho butterflies are colored in metallic, shimmering shades of blue and green. These colors are not a result of pigmentation but are an example of iridescence: the microscopic scales covering the Morpho's wings reflect incident light repeatedly at successive layers, leading to interference effects that depend on both wavelength and angle of incidence/observance[2]. Thus the colors produced vary with viewing angle, however they are actually surprisingly uniform, perhaps due to the tetrahedral (diamond-like) structural arrangement of the scales or diffraction from overlying cell layers. This structure may be likened to a photonic crystal. The lamellate structure of their wing scales has been studied as a model in the development of fabrics, dye-free paints, and anti-counterfeit technology used in currency.

The iridescent lamellae are only present on the dorsal side of their wings, leaving the ventral side brown.

The ventral side is decorated with ocelli or eyespots. In some species, such as M. godarti, the dorsal lamellae are so thin as to allow the ventral ocelli to peek through. While not all Morphos have iridescent coloration, they all have ocelli. In most species only the males are colorful, supporting the theory that the coloration is used for intrasexual communication between males. The lamellae reflect up to 70% of light falling on them, including any ultraviolet (UV). The eyes of Morpho butterflies are thought to be highly sensitive to UV light and therefore the males are able to see each other from great distances. Some South American species are reportedly visible by the human eye up to one kilometre away.

There also exist a number of white Morpho species, principal among these being M. catenarius and M. laertes. An unusual species that is fundamentally white in coloration, but which exhibits a stunning purple iridescence when viewed at certain angles is the rare M. sulkowskyi, while among the metallic blue Morpho species, M. rhetenor stands out as the most iridescence of all, with M. cypris a close second. Indeed, M. cypris is notable in that specimens that are mounted in entomological collections will exhibit color differences across the wings if they are not 'set' perfectly flat.(Wikipedia)
parasbhalla, Hazara14, horias, Saba, gaillarde, Tomek, mikolaj_cava has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To rychem: Pozdrowienia z Neussneusser0204 1 11-01 01:36
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Critiques [Translate]

Witam,
wyeksploatowales motylarnie ile sie dalo, piekny egzemplarz motyla, doskonale zdjecie
pozdrawiam
Ryszard

Hallo Siegfried,

Great macro capture of this beautiful butterfly with great details!
I like the well done sharpness and nicely chosen POV. The shallow DOF works very well here. The colors of the butterfly and the surroundings are very natural. There is a great contrast between the dark beauty and the green leaf.

Schoen Tag noch!

Viele Gruesse,
Paras

Hi Siegfried
you doing very great job with micro shot and this is
an other one of your nice and beautiful micro with lovely details
and natural colors TFS
well done friend
Hazara

Siggi
Wonderful capture this blue butterfly.
Great details and colors!
Horia

  • Great 
  • JT50 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 210 W: 1 N: 174] (908)
  • [2009-11-01 5:38]

Hi Seigfried,
Very good macro.
Good colours and sharpness.
Looks like it is ready for
take off.
have a nice week.
Janak

  • Great 
  • Saba Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 628 W: 0 N: 1703] (9540)
  • [2009-11-01 9:09]

Witaj Sigi :)

Bardzo oryginalnie ubarwiony ten motyl.
Wspaniale makro i jego wykonanie.
Piekne ujecie, gratuluje.

Serdecznie pozdrawiam.
Barbara

Hello Siegfried,
Voila un papillon avec une envergure esthétique, les détails sont superbes, il est très beau, merci.
Amical bonsoir.

Yolande

Fantastic shot with nice colors and details.
Regards Zoran

  • Great 
  • Tomek Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1284 W: 47 N: 2934] (16862)
  • [2009-11-01 18:59]

Piekny okaz Sigfried, wyglada wsrod motyli jak prawdziwy elegant przez te ciemne kolory.
Swietna prezentacja.
Serdecznie pozdrawiam - Tomek:)

  • Great 
  • ayse51 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1725 W: 127 N: 1494] (20940)
  • [2009-11-01 21:51]

Hi Siegfried,
beautiful butterfly.I liked colours so much.Nice presentation.TFS.Necla.

  • Great 
  • Hazan (120)
  • [2009-11-02 12:59]

was a very good macro shots.
Congratulations ..
TFS
Hazan

Czesc Siegfried! Piekny okaz, wspaniale sie prezentuje w dobrym rownomiernym swietle, ladne czyste kolory, ostrosc na sto dwa. Klaniam sie!

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