Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Cyphochilus (beetle)

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Order
  
Coleoptera

Subfamily
  
Melolonthinae

Higher classification
  
Scarabs

Phylum
  
Arthropoda

Family
  
Scarabaeidae

Scientific name
  
Cyphochilus

Rank
  
Genus

Cyphochilus (beetle) httpsc1staticflickrcom9855087618201921cd5

Similar
  
Beetle, Insect, Scarabs, Lepidiota stigma, Lepidiota

Cyphochilus is a genus of beetles with unusually bright white scales on the body, occurring in Southeast Asia. The whiteness of the scales is caused by a thin layer of a highly reflective natural photonic solid in its scales, though the exoskeleton of the beetle underneath the scales is black.

Cyphochilus (beetle) White Scarab Beetle Cyphochilus insulanus Melolonthinae Flickr

They use the polymer chitin to produce these white scales, which are whiter than paper or any artificial material produced so far. The beetles are believed to have developed white coloration to be camouflaged among white fungi. There is a complex molecular geometry to their scales, which are able to scatter light with supreme efficiency in spite of their thinness. To produce white scales, Cyphochilus beetles must deflect all colours with equal strength, something rarely found in nature. What makes these scales so white is the special arrangement of the chitin elements inside them, together with their varied shapes and sizes. The chitin filaments are just a few micrometres thick – far thinner than a very fine sheet of paper. The elements are tightly packed, scattering light efficiently, but still able keep a degree of disorder in their shape.

Cyphochilus (beetle) Scientists create blackest material ever seen
Cyphochilus (beetle) SINOBUG White Scarab Beetle Cyphochilus insulanus

Cyphochilus (beetle) White Scarab Beetle Cyphochilus insulanus Melolonthinae Flickr

Cyphochilus (beetle)

References

Cyphochilus (beetle) Wikipedia