animals, animals, animals

Paying homage to the wonderful, unusual and diverse world of animals. I make no claim to content ownership. Sources are credited (with links) whenever possible — on both unique posts & re-blogs. Any post will be removed upon request (please provide URL link to the post/page). Enjoy! Email: animalworldtumblrblog@gmail.com Twitter: @animalworldtoo


Links   Ask me anything   Submit


IRIDSCENCE IN NATURE — ©Marc A. Spataro This is a photo of a BOELEN PYTHON - Whether you know it or not, you have likely been familiar with iridescence since you were a kid. You probably marveled at it in soap bubbles. Light first passes through the top layer of the bubble, where some of it is reflected, while some light continues through to the bottom layer, where again some of it is reflected. Rather than having just the constructive interference from the top and bottom layer that you have in a bubble, the many, equally spaced layers of butterfly wings or snake scales create multiple instances of refraction.  When light hits the different layers of the wing or scales, it is reflected numerous times, and the combination of all these reflections causes the very intense colors that you see in many species. See the snake above without the iridescent sheen here Changes in intensity are often particularly noticeable, as iridescent colours usually appear brilliant and saturated at optimal viewingangles . When the viewing angle changes, however, the iridescence can disappear entirely, leaving visible only the colour produced by underlying pigments, which are often black [as in the snake above]. A benefit of beneficial angles showing or hiding iridescence is that they might allow animals to be obvious to their intended signal receivers (ie. other snakes) while remaining relatively inconspicuous to potential predators text sources and more information: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/butterfly-colors2.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706478/#bib114 Other photos you might enjoy: Boelen Pythons Ruby-Tailed Wasp Iridescent Beetles Iridescent Fish

IRIDSCENCE IN NATURE — ©Marc A. Spataro

This is a photo of a BOELEN PYTHON - Whether you know it or not, you have likely been familiar with iridescence since you were a kid. You probably marveled at it in soap bubbles. Light first passes through the top layer of the bubble, where some of it is reflected, while some light continues through to the bottom layer, where again some of it is reflected.

Rather than having just the constructive interference from the top and bottom layer that you have in a bubble, the many, equally spaced layers of butterfly wings or snake scales create multiple instances of refraction. 

When light hits the different layers of the wing or scales, it is reflected numerous times, and the combination of all these reflections causes the very intense colors that you see in many species. See the snake above without the iridescent sheen here

Changes in intensity are often particularly noticeable, as iridescent colours usually appear brilliant and saturated at optimal viewingangles . When the viewing angle changes, however, the iridescence can disappear entirely, leaving visible only the colour produced by underlying pigments, which are often black [as in the snake above].

A benefit of beneficial angles showing or hiding iridescence is that they might allow animals to be obvious to their intended signal receivers (ie. other snakes) while remaining relatively inconspicuous to potential predators

text sources and more information:

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/butterfly-colors2.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706478/#bib114

Other photos you might enjoy:

Boelen Pythons

Ruby-Tailed Wasp

Iridescent Beetles

Iridescent Fish

Notes

  1. briarmoon reblogged this from animalworld
  2. abcaulfieldbell reblogged this from animalworld
  3. spacedementia458 reblogged this from animalworld
  4. avocadopunk reblogged this from teknosatan
  5. teknosatan reblogged this from animalworld
  6. tttweed reblogged this from animalworld
  7. drugs-4everyone reblogged this from their-hypnosis-goes-unnoticed
  8. bestiari0 reblogged this from their-hypnosis-goes-unnoticed
  9. their-hypnosis-goes-unnoticed reblogged this from animalworld
  10. sirenianheart reblogged this from jackalopefrost
  11. bokukkorisu reblogged this from jackalopefrost
  12. jackalopefrost reblogged this from goldstonebones
  13. goldstonebones reblogged this from freshnsteezy
  14. sonataofsilence reblogged this from zero-saito
  15. zero-saito reblogged this from animalworld
  16. sophistakhayted reblogged this from breakdancingastronauts
  17. ibeautymarie reblogged this from breakdancingastronauts
  18. breakdancingastronauts reblogged this from animalworld
  19. liminalspacestation reblogged this from bunnyjunk
  20. greenhairedtwat reblogged this from bunnyjunk and added:
    holy fucking SHIT…….
  21. bunnyjunk reblogged this from b0mbabe
  22. boxing--clever reblogged this from bowwowdikko
  23. waltzmonster reblogged this from crystalm3th0d
  24. crystalm3th0d reblogged this from animalworld
  25. emilyrosexx reblogged this from bowwowdikko
  26. bowwowdikko reblogged this from hunter4myrna
  27. b0mbabe reblogged this from hunter4myrna
  28. hunter4myrna reblogged this from animalworld
  29. paperpinwheel reblogged this from animalworld
  30. ilovethisplanet reblogged this from abstraktum
  31. someformofselfexpression reblogged this from animalworld
  32. eggplantastic reblogged this from animalworld
  33. lesbruixes reblogged this from abstraktum
  34. mzlrod reblogged this from wubbas