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Alithographica β Science Fact Friday: Iridescence
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Published: 2018-06-09 03:41:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 1327; Favourites: 87; Downloads: 16
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Comments: 17
Fun fact: Iridescence is actually surprisingly commonly used for camouflage.
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Ooo that's interesting. How?
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By reflecting the surroundings.
Most common in fish, but some land animals use it as well.
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Neat! That hadn't occurred to me, thanks for the info.
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I actually suspect Microraptor used this form of camouflage.
Sclerotic ring studies indicate Microraptor was nocturnal, but because glossy black birds today are diurnal, press releases stated that it couldnβt have been nocturnal.....except by that logic Microraptor couldnβt have had teeth, clawed fingers, or a bony tail either. Itβs just not behaviourally analogous to modern glossy black birds, making the whole comparison useless.
A glossy black coat works as perfect nocturnal camouflage IMHO.
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Good thoughts! It'd definitely make sense. I really want to go dig more into individual prehistoric species research findings--I hadn't heard of the sclerotic ring studies either.
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I love all these information writings you do, it gives me something to do and allows me to learn something new too! Keep it up buddy!
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Thank you!
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I'm disgusted with flies, but I can't help but love their shiny shells.
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Sometimes "ooo shiny thing" overrides "aaa gross thing".
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Great! It did for me too. I had forgotten I used to wonder about the rainbow meat thing until I came across it again in one of the articles I was looking at.Β Β Β
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Ohhh! That thing about the fossil is really cool!
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Right??? I had never heard of it before. Here are photos of a few specimens:Β www.palaeocast.com/episode-7-cβ¦
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Those photos are amazing. Thanks for including the bit about the fossil. Uncanny what can survive through time. I know archaeologists Β have found vials still fragrant with perfume oils from burial sites in Ancient Egypt. Something as ephemeral as iridescence or fragrance can linger on...
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Absolutely nuts.
But then sometimes you get an unholy soup like they uncovered last month...Β Β
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OMG! Those are awesome! It's my two favorite things combined! Bugs and Rocks!
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