麻豆淫院

When it comes to color, mammals are hardly the most vibrant creatures of the animal kingdom. Their fur often comes in drab shades of brown, gray or black, unlike some birds, insects or fish that can dazzle with brilliant, iridescent displays. However, a new study is challenging this notion, finding that brilliant colors in mammals are more common than previously thought.

Iridescence is a phenomenon where colors change when an object is viewed from different angles. It is not created by the presence of colored pigments but is a trick of the light produced by the way it interacts with different structures. For example, it is what makes a soap bubble or the surface of a compact disk shimmer with a rainbow of colors.

Iridescence was previously found in only one mammal, the golden mole. But Jessica L. Dobson from Ghent University in Belgium and colleagues have discovered iridescence in several other species across eight different families, including rodents and shrews.

Having seen mentions of shiny mammal fur in scientific literature dating back to the late 19th century, the research team set out to investigate the phenomenon, examining 14 specimens from the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Brussels.

The scientists used an optical microscope to observe the iridescence of mammals by changing the angle of light. Then they measured the wavelengths of light reflected off the hairs, which confirmed they were shifting. This is a key characteristic of iridescence and refers to the change in color as the viewing angle or angle of the light source changes. Each of the specimens was found to have an iridescent coat.

"These data suggest that iridescence in mammals is more common than originally thought, adding another dimension to mammal coloration research," commented the researchers in their paper in Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

Does iridescence have a purpose?

This research not only challenges the widely held assumption that mammals lack vibrant coloration, but it also opens up new avenues for understanding mammalian evolution.

For example, the purpose of iridescence is not yet fully understood and could be for visual communication, camouflage or a byproduct of another adaptation. Many of the species studied live near water or burrow underground, and the smooth surface of the hairs that creates iridescence may help keep their fur clean.

Whatever the reason, the findings suggest that iridescence in mammals could be far more widespread than even the research shows. Since the team found the phenomenon in all 14 species they studied, this shimmering quality may be present in many other mammals.

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