Butterfly wing scales. Coloured environmental scanning electron micrograph (ESEM) of the overla- pping scales on an unidentified butterfly's wing. The

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Butterfly wing scales. Coloured environmental scanning electron micrograph (ESEM) of the overla- pping scales on an unidentified butterfly's wing. These modified hairs may contain coloured pigme- nts. They have ridges that interfere with light, producing iridescent colours. Unlike a convention- al scanning electron microscope (SEM), samples put into an environmental SEM do not need to be desic- cated or coated in gold. Magnification unknown.

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Size: 3000px × 2040px
Photo credit: © PASCAL GOETGHELUCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, butterfly, coloured, environmental, esem, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, nature, scale, scales, sem, wildlife, wing, zoology