Broadband and polarization reflectors in the lookdown,Selene vomer

• DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1390
• Publication Date: 2015-02-11T10:13:41Z
• Authors: Shulei Zhao; Parrish Clawson B...; Meng Gao; Robert Ian Etheredge; George W. Kattawar; Molly E. Cummings
• Keywords: Structural Coloration

Predator evasion in the open ocean is difficult because there are no objects to hide behind. The silvery surface of fish plays an important role water camouflage. Various models have been proposed account for broadband reflectance by skin that involve one-dimensional variations arrangement guanine crystal reflectors, yet three-dimensional organization these platelets not well characterized. Here, we report and optical properties integumentary a marine fish, lookdown (Selene vomer). Our structural analysis computational modelling show stacks with random yaw angles produce via colour mixing. Optical axes collagen layer aligned closely provide bulk birefringence influence polarization skin. These data demonstrate how preserves or alters states at different incident angles. resulted from may implications camouflage varying light fields.