|
| |
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
About the Cover
Cover: The squid Alloteuthis subulata and Loligo vulgaris have distinct stripes of reflective cells (iridophores) on their highly transparent body and above the eyes. Some of these iridophore stripes are very conspicuous and appear to be involved in communication between squid; other stripes appear to be involved in camouflage. Iridophores are made up of stacks of small plates. The reflections of these iridophores are coloured and, depending on the angle of view, the reflected colour changes. The iridophores of one of the dorsal stripes of the mantle reflect red light at normal incidence (A), whilst the same iridophores reflect green and blue when viewed obliquely (B,C). Other stripes reflect green light at normal incidence (D) and blue at oblique angles (E). The iridophores of the ventral side reflect red light at normal incidence (F). A lateral stripe of the mantle reflects blue light at normal incidence (G). Above the eyes, these squid have a fluorescent layer that absorbs light in the blue parts of the spectrum and emits light in the green (H) (see Mäthger and Denton, pp. 2103-2118). Scale bars: A-C, 300 
m; D,E, 5 m; F,G, 200 m; H, 1 cm. All photographs by L. M. Mäthger.
[Table of Contents]