Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2025

In situ Protocol for Butterfly Pupal Wings Using Riboprobes
Published on: May 28, 2007
Air temperature drives the evolution of mid-infrared optical properties of butterfly wings
Anirudh Krishna1,2, Xiao Nie3, Adriana D Briscoe4
1Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, OR, 97124, USA. akbharad@uci.edu.
Abstract:
This study uncovers a correlation between the mid-infrared emissivity of butterfly wings and the average air temperature of their habitats across the world. Butterflies from cooler climates have a lower mid-infrared emissivity, which limits heat losses to surroundings, and butterflies from warmer climates have a higher mid-infrared emissivity, which enhances radiative cooling. The mid-infrared emissivity showed no correlation with other investigated climatic factors. Phylogenetic independent contrasts analysis indicates the microstructures of butterfly wings may have evolved in part to regulate mid-infrared emissivity as an adaptation to climate, rather than as phylogenetic inertia. Our findings offer new insights into the role of microstructures in thermoregulation and suggest both evolutionary and physical constraints to butterflies' abilities to adapt to climate change.
Related Concept Videos
Mechanisms of Heat Transfer II
Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
Atomic Spectroscopy: Effects of Temperature
At thermal equilibrium, the relative populations of excited and ground state atoms can be estimated using the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution. For example, an increase in temperature...
UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Conjugated Systems
One of the factors influencing λmax is the extent...
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
IR Spectrum
Transmittance is defined as the ratio of the radiant power passing through a sample to that from the radiation's source. Multiplying the transmittance by 100 gives the percent transmittance (%T), which varies between 100% (no absorption) and 0%...

