ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Biology

Fossilized moths reveal interesting methods of camouflage

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
November 16, 2011
in Biology, Geology
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

T-Rex’s image as a giant, scaly, monster supported by new study
Scott Pruitt says subsidies give renewables an unfair edge, and here’s why he’s a monumental hypocrite
Oldest bird might not be a bird in the first place
Eruption responsible for greatest mass extinction on land and sea

Fossilized moth wings, that are blue after death were yellow-green during lifetime, suggesting a colorful and creative method of camouflage.

Camouflage and warning

The moths lived in a difficult period, some 47 million years ago, in a period where life was still trying to fill the gaps left behind by the major dinosaur extinction; they used their colors to blend in with leaves while nesting, according to Maria McNamara, a paleobiologist and postdoctoral researcher at Yale University. But considering that today, green butterflies contain extremely toxic cyanide, to warn off predators, so the moths might have used this too.

“They were probably using the color for the same kind of function,” McNamara declared, “to hide themselves when they were resting, but as a warning signal when they were feeding.”

Structural colors

McNamara and her colleagues are looking for what is called structural colors: not those produced by pigments, but those produced by the organism’s tissues. They were ‘browsing’ through some fossils found in Germany, when they came across several moth species, all belonging to a group called lepidopterans, which also includes butterflies. The fossils were preserved extremely well – up to the point where researchers can study the tiny, featherlike scales on the ancient moths’ wings that held the key to their structural color.

“When you look at these fossils today in air, their wings look a blue-green color,” McNamara said. “But we were able to work out that originally, their wings were more of a yellow-green color.”

A small step for humans, a big leap for moths

This might not seem like a major find, but it offers an significant amount about them, and it also puts into context a relevant part of an ecosystem. For starters, the fact that they had colors at all reveals that they were daytime creatures, unlike most moths today, which hang around nighttime. The color wasn’t iridescent, which means that it looked absolutely the same from any angle (unlike that of some beetles), which indicates that it was probably used for camouflage, as well as warning.

“You might be able to reconstruct colors of other butterfly and fossil moths that just look brown today,” she said. “It’s part of the whole process of working out what animals have used colors for in the past.”

The results will be published this Tuesday in PLoS Biology

Tags: fossilmothpaleontology

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

News

Couple Finds Giant Teeth in Backyard Belonging to 13,000-year-old Mastodon

byTibi Puiu
4 days ago
Biology

Paleontologists Discover “Goblin-Like” Predator Hidden in Fossil Collection

byTudor Tarita
1 week ago
a denisovan skull
Anthropology

The Face of a Ghost: 146,000-Year-Old Skull Finally Reveals What Denisovans Looked Like

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Geology

Identical Dinosaur Prints Found on Opposite Sides of the Atlantic Ocean 3,700 Miles Apart

byTibi Puiu
3 weeks ago

Recent news

A Medieval Sword Sat Hidden in a Dutch River for 1,000 Years Until Construction Workers Found It

June 30, 2025

Scientists Just Proved Ancient Humans Were in North America 10,000 Years Earlier Than We Thought

June 30, 2025

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

June 28, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.