'nireus' ?

[Meena Haribal]

>While you all argue over the Gillett(e) nomenclature problem, I'm puzzling
>over one of my one, here in Kenya, and thought I might as well get help out
>there. It may sound a rather naive and simple question, but I sure am in the
>dark regarding it. Papilio nireus is sometimes given the common name 'Narrow
>Blue Banded Swallowtail' in some identification books, whereas other books
>call it 'Narrow Green Banded Swallowtail'. I am just an amateur, and am
>illitrate in Latin, so could someone shed a light as to what the word
>'nireus' really describes about the swallowtail? The specimen I have in my
>collection, shows a clearly, distinct blue band, that is in no way green.
>Thanks for the help,
>Smruti.

HI Smruti,

The iridescent color you observe in swallowtails are due to 
interference of light through the scales and not just due to 
pigments. When you observe them in different light conditions i.e 
when spectral wave length differ you see different colors. 
Interference of light also depends on angle of incidence and the 
angle of receiving.

Once I was photographing Golden Sapphire (Heliophorus brahma) in the 
Himalaya early in the morning when sun was just getting bright white, 
but still at low angle on the horizon. This male butterfly was 
basking and he was pure 24 karat yellow gold. But as the time passed 
color changed to coppery gold (I would call 14 karat gold shade). I 
spent an hour and a half photographing this butterfly. I have series 
of photographs which can show range of golden color on this butterfly.

Hope this helps.

Meena




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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Meena Haribal
Research Associate
mmh3 at cornell.edu
www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmh3
Address:Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BTI
	Cornell University
	Tower Road, Ithaca NY 14853.
Phone No;607-254-4287, 607-254-5414 (W)
     	607-277-3536 (Home)
	Fax- 607 255-8088 or 254-2958.
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