Lopez Vinicius Marques, Krings Wencke, Machado Juliana Reis, Gorb Stanislav, Guillermo-Ferreira Rhainer
Lestes Lab, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2024 Dec 2;15:1554-1565. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.15.122. eCollection 2024.
We studied the ultrastructure of the ultrablack cuticle in , an enigmatic and visually striking species of velvet ants (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae). Using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and optical spectroscopy, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the cuticle to elucidate its unique optical properties. SEM imaging provided a detailed surface morphology, while TEM provided insights into the internal structure. CLSM showed that the cuticle exhibits no autofluorescence. Our findings reveal a highly specialized cuticle, characterized by microstructures that effectively minimize reflectance and enhance light absorption. Optical spectrometry confirmed the ultrablack nature of the cuticle, with the measured reflectance approaching minimal levels across a broad spectrum of wavelengths. Therefore, our study contributes to a deeper understanding of ultrablack biological materials and their potential applications in biomimetics.
我们研究了一种神秘且视觉上引人注目的绒蚁（膜翅目，蚁蜂科）—— 的超黑角质层的超微结构。通过结合扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、共聚焦激光扫描显微镜（CLSM）和光谱学，我们对该角质层进行了全面分析，以阐明其独特的光学特性。SEM成像提供了详细的表面形态，而TEM则揭示了内部结构。CLSM显示该角质层无自发荧光。我们的研究结果揭示了一种高度特化的角质层，其特征在于微观结构能够有效降低反射率并增强光吸收。光谱分析证实了该角质层的超黑性质，在广泛的波长范围内测得的反射率接近最低水平。因此，我们的研究有助于更深入地了解超黑生物材料及其在仿生学中的潜在应用。
