Fluorescence from Wing of Morpho sulkowskyi Butterfly

Abstract

Fluorescence from various parts of a wing of a male butterfly, Morpho sulkowskyi ( Morpho species), was investigated using a microspectrophotometer. From the central (blue color) region of the wing, fluorescence was observed for the first time in this species when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) or visible light. On the other hand, the distal tip (black color) of the wing was not fluorescent. Further microscopic studies also showed that the fluorescence spectra of the upper (dorsal) and the lower (ventral) surfaces of scales, which were obtained from the fluorescent central region of the wing, were different, having fluorescence peaks at 520 nm and 470 nm, respectively.