Structural Coloration

Abstract

In living nature, flora and fauna produce color through pigmentsPigments, bioluminescence, or structural coloration (Booth in Biol J Linn Soc 40:125--163 1990). Biological pigments, or simply pigments, are substances produced by living organisms, which produce color resulting from selective light adsorption and reflection of a specific light wavelength. These include plant and flower pigments, such as greenGreen sciencepigment chlorophyll used by plants for photosynthesis. Many biological structures contain pigments such as melanin in skin, eyes, fur, and hair. BioluminescenceBioluminescenceis the production and emission of visible light by a living organism. It occurs widely in marine organisms, as well as in some fungi, bacteria, and terrestrial invertebrates, such as fireflies.