Biological polarized light reflectors in stomatopod crustaceans
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2005-09-10
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Tsyr-Huei Chiou, Thomas W. Cronin, Roy L. Caldwell, and Justin Marshall "Biological polarized light reflectors in stomatopod crustaceans", Proc. SPIE 5888, Polarization Science and Remote Sensing II, 58881B (10 September 2005); doi: 10.1117/12.613117; https://doi.org/10.1117/12.613117
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© (2005) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.
© (2005) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.
Abstract
Body parts that can reflect highly polarized light have been found in several species of stomatopod crustaceans (mantis
shrimps). These polarized light reflectors can be grossly divided into two major types. The first type, usually red or pink
in color to the human visual system, is located within an animal’s cuticle. Reflectors of the second type, showing
iridescent blue, are located beneath the exoskeleton and thus are unaffected by the molt cycle. We used reflection
spectropolarimetry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study the reflective properties and the structures that
reflect highly polarized light in stomatopods. For the first type of reflector, the degree of polarization usually changes
dramatically, from less than 20% to over 70%, with a change in viewing angle. TEM examination indicates that the
polarization reflection is generated by multilayer thin-film interference. The second type of reflector, the blue colored
ones, reflects highly polarized light to all viewing angles. However, these reflectors show a slight chromatic change with
different viewing angles. TEM sections have revealed that streams of oval-shaped vesicles might be responsible for the
production of the polarized light reflection. In all the reflectors we have examined so far, the reflected light is always
maximally polarized at around 500 nm, which is close to the wavelength best transmitted by sea water. This suggests that
the polarized light reflectors found in stomatopods are well adapted to the underwater environment. We also found that
most reflectors produce polarized light with a horizontal e-vector. How these polarized light reflectors are used in
stomatopod signaling remains unknown.