Contribution of both the upperside and the underside of the wing on the iridescence in the male butterfly Troïdes magellanus (Papilionidae)

Until now, the existing literature suggests that the color effects on the butterflies wings come from the scales exposed to an outside observer. The particularity of the present work lies in the consideration of both sides of a wing. The male Troïdes magellanus concentrates on its hindwings distinct but complementary optical effects contributing to its exceptional visual attraction: (i) a uniform yellow coloration under daylight, (ii) a bright glint showing bluish or greenish hues under grazing illumination and observation, and (iii) the presence of fluorescent molecules, producing a yellow-green coloration when irradiated by ultraviolet light, embedded in a three-dimensional photonic structure. Our experimental examination reveals a decomposition of the visual aspect in terms of a pigmentary, a structural, and a fluorescent component, as well as a contribution of the scales of the upperside and the underside of the wing on this observation. Our results highlight the role of the scales photonic structure-from both sides of the organ-on this correlation. The investigation was realized by means of spectrophotometric measurements, bidirectional reflectance distribution function mapping, and electron microscopy. Analyzing the scattered light according to the observation direction proved to be crucial in this work.