Wing interference patterns are consistent and sexually dimorphic in the four families of crane flies (Diptera, Tipuloidea).

ABSTRACT: Wing interference patterns (WIP) are stable structural colors in insect wings caused by thin-film interference. This study seeks to establish WIP as a stable, sexually dimorphic, species-level character across the four families of Tipuloidea and investigate generic level WIP. Thirteen species of Tipuloidea were selected from museum specimens in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University collection. One wing from a male and female of each representative species was excised and mounted to a slide with coverslip, placed against a black background, and imaged using an integrated microscope camera. Images were minimally retouched but otherwise unchanged. Descriptions of the WIP for each sex of each species are provided. Twelve of thirteen species imaged had WIP, which were stable and

SUBMITTER: Conrow RT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8755705 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature