
Scienceray.com | 6 April 2010 | A butterfly with transparent wings? Surely not. Yet there is a species that exhibits this trait. Take a close look at the incredible Glasswing, an enchanting species that confounds science.
Greta oto may sound like the name of a silent movie star from Eastern Europe but is, in fact, the scientific name for one of the most exquisite – and little known – species of butterfly on the planet. This butterfly’s claim to fame is that its wings, spanning up to six centimeters, are almost completely transparent. That’s right, you can see just about right through them.
The common English name for this remarkable butterfly is glasswing, which in itself speaks volumes about the appearance of this small but unusual insect. However, it takes the romance languages to step in and give the butterfly the name which, for many, suits it best. The Spanish name for the glasswing is ‘espejitos’. Literally translated, this means ‘little mirrors’. Just a glance at the insect in question and one can imagine the thrill of pleasure when the moment of inspiration that came to its Hispanic name giver.
A close look at Greta oto reveals that between the veins of its wings the tissue is virtually see through (or, properly, translucent). Most other butterflies have colored scales which pattern the wings, quite often to ward off predators. The glasswing has another way of doing this entirely, but over the millennia it has evolved these specific wings to hide itself from predators rather than to warn them off. The only way that you can tell that it has wings at all are the borders, which are of a dark hue, sometimes bordering on the orange. Were it not for these borders, the glasswing would be more or less invisible to the human eye.
The glasswing is part of a specific clade of butterfly. Now for the science, as Jennifer Aniston might say. A clade is a ‘branch’ and is a term used in the taxonomy of species. When groups of species has a single common ancestor (which does not necessarily need to be extant) then it is known as monophyletic. The common ancestor of the glasswing is long extinct but the clade it belongs to is known as the clearwing clade.
www.AstroDigi.com (Nino Guevara Ruwano)
tory burch outlet, michael kors outlet, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton, air max, prada handbags, longchamp outlet, longchamp handbags, louis vuitton outlet stores, michael kors outlet, louboutin shoes, nike shoes, burberry outlet, chanel handbags, true religion jeans, nike free, polo ralph lauren outlet, true religion jeans, prada outlet, oakley sunglasses cheap, coach outlet, ray ban sunglasses, air max, longchamp handbags, kate spade outlet, louis vuitton outlet, polo ralph lauren, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin, oakley sunglasses, gucci outlet, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet, coach factory outlet, burberry outlet, louboutin outlet, michael kors outlet, coach outlet store online, tiffany and co, louis vuitton handbags, kate spade handbags, louboutin, tiffany and co, jordan shoes, coach purses, michael kors outlet, oakley sunglasses
ReplyDeletenike free pas cher, lululemon, polo ralph lauren, michael kors, new balance pas cher, ralph lauren, ray ban pas cher, timberland, hollister, air max, mulberry, nike roshe run, vans pas cher, air max, sac hermes, nike blazer, longchamp, oakley pas cher, sac louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, vanessa bruno, north face, nike air max, louis vuitton uk, louboutin, hogan outlet, air max pas cher, abercrombie and fitch, air jordan, air force, converse pas cher, sac louis vuitton, hollister, true religion outlet, north face, michael kors pas cher, louis vuitton, sac guess, nike roshe, michael kors, nike tn, sac longchamp, true religion outlet, barbour, sac burberry, nike free, polo lacoste, nike trainers
ReplyDeletegiuseppe zanotti, ugg boots, hollister, longchamp, wedding dresses, canada goose, birkin bag, chi flat iron, reebok outlet, ugg boots, abercrombie and fitch, bottega veneta, canada goose, nfl jerseys, insanity workout, ugg australia, marc jacobs, uggs outlet, vans shoes, north face jackets, ferragamo shoes, p90x, ugg pas cher, canada goose outlet, soccer shoes, canada goose jackets, north face outlet, beats by dre, canada goose, ugg, jimmy choo outlet, new balance shoes, nike huarache, ugg boots, rolex watches, herve leger, celine handbags, nike roshe run, ghd, babyliss pro, mont blanc, mac cosmetics, uggs, mcm handbags, valentino shoes, instyler, lululemon outlet, soccer jerseys, asics running shoes
ReplyDeletevans, moncler, ralph lauren, links of london, parajumpers, hollister, juicy couture outlet, converse shoes, oakley, pandora charms, toms shoes, swarovski, louboutin, hollister, coach outlet store online, ugg, louis vuitton, pandora charms, gucci, baseball bats, moncler, thomas sabo, lancel, pandora jewelry, timberland boots, hollister clothing store, rolex watches, canada goose uk, moncler outlet, moncler, iphone 6 cases, wedding dresses, air max, canada goose, juicy couture outlet, canada goose, moncler, ugg, swarovski crystal, ray ban, supra shoes, karen millen, converse, air max, moncler, moncler, montre homme
ReplyDelete1594meiqingceline
ReplyDeletemichael kors outlet online
rolex watches outlet
louis vuitton
ugg sale
celine
lebron james shoes
coach factorty outlet
coach outlet
michael kors
sac longchamp
nike running shoes
mont blanc
oakley sunglasses
adidas originals shoes
hollister co
true religion jeans
gucci
true religion
tod's shoes
louis vuitton outlet
oakley sunglasses wholesale
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors
mcm handbags
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
jordan 3s
michael kors outlet online
vans shoes
1595meiqing
ReplyDeleteceline
michael kors outlet online
rolex watches outlet
louis vuitton
ugg sale
celine
lebron james shoes
coach factorty outlet
coach outlet
michael kors
sac longchamp
nike running shoes
mont blanc
oakley sunglasses
adidas originals shoes
hollister co
true religion jeans
gucci
true religion
tod's shoes
louis vuitton outlet
oakley sunglasses wholesale
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors
mcm handbags
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
jordan 3s
michael kors outlet online
vans shoes
chenlina20151009
ReplyDeletelouboutin
abercrombie
rolex replica watches
north face
ugg sale
vans shoes
christian louboutin uk
michael kors
ugg boots outlet
new balance outlet
moncler jackets
air jordans
pandora
mulberry handbags
louboutin pas cher
cheap uggs boots
cheap uggs
air force 1
uggs on sale
oakley sunglasses wholesale
sac longchamp
uggs boots on sale
cheap oakleys
ray bans
louis vuitton borse
canada goose uk
toms outlet
ed hardy outlet
barbour uk
replica watches
nike roshe runs
abercrombie and fitch
mizuno running shoes
instyler max
adidas shoes
kate spade
toms wedges
ed hardy clothing
nike air huarache
soccer shoes
as
151028meiqing
ReplyDeletetommy hilfiger outlet
ugg outlet
nike air max
nike free run
ralph lauren outlet
nike cortez
prada uk
coach outlet
christian louboutin uk
louis vuitton pas cher
http://www.MichaelKorsHandbags-Us.com
swarov ski jewelry
mulberry handbags
kate spade handbags
gucci borse
ralph lauren pas cher
pandora jewelry
nike running shoes
mont blanc
http://www.coachfactory--outletonline.com
cheap oakleys
ed hardy uk
michael kors outlet
air jordans
ugg boots outlet
p90x workouts
nike roshe runs
chaussure louboutin
http://www.mymichaelkorssoutlets.org
cheap jerseys
hollister uk
ReplyDeletekobe 9
cheap ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet
louis vuitton outlet online
longchamp outlet
cheap jordans
nike mercurial
ugg boots clearance,ugg australia,uggs on sale,ugg slippers,uggs boots,uggs outlet,ugg boots,ugg,uggs
bottega veneta outlet
hermes belt for sale
juicy couture tracksuit
michael kors outlet
cheap ugg boots
tory burch outlet
mac cosmetics
christian louboutin,louboutin,louboutin outlet,louboutin outlet italia,scarpe louboutin
calvin klein outlet
ferragamo outlet
ugg boots uk
mm1224
jordan
ReplyDeleteabercrombie and fitch
christian louboutin
converse
kevin durant
canada goose
vans
christian louboutin
marc jacobs
coach
jordan
jordan
new balance
gucci
fitflop
supra
dior
jordan
jordan
fitflop
north face
gucci
jordan
converse
celine
north face
ralph lauren
oakley
nike
nike
air max
coach
jordan
salvatore ferragamo
jordan
north face
gucci
coach
jordan
gucci
michael kors
coach
ugg
qwe12.30
louis vuitton handbags
ReplyDeletelacoste online shop
nike air huarache
fitflops
http://www.michaeljordanshoes.us.com
michael kors handbags
nfl jerseys wholesale
lacoste outlet
adidas nmd runner
adidas nmd
new york giants jerseys cute!
ReplyDeletenew york jets jerseys We
detroit lions jerseys this
fitflops sale clearance was
new york knicks sheet}
michael kors handbags your
longchamps post
true religion jeans with
fitflops going
air force 1 shoes We
los angeles clippers jerseys
ReplyDeletepandora jewelry
cleveland cavaliers
replica watches
washington redskins jerseys
michael kors outlet clearance
ghd hair straighteners
michael kors handbags
nike air max 90
the north face
michael jordan shoes
ReplyDeletekobe 11
yeezy boost
true religion outlet
yeezy boost
nike dunks
air max 90
basketball shoes
lacoste online shop
michael kors outlet store