In this SEM image of a butterfly wing the scales are clearly visible, and the tiny platelets on each individual scale are just barely visible in the striping. © William Sharp, Arizona State University.

In most biological nomenclature, a scale (Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration. Scales are quite common and have evolved multiple times with varying structure and function. SEM image of butterfly wing scales. ... SEM image of butterfly wing scales. ... SEM Cambridge S150 at Geological Institute, University Kiel, 1980 SEM opened sample chamber The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope capable of producing high resolution images of a sample surface. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Digimon, the only known animals. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Epidermis (skin). ... Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera... Orders See taxonomy Insects (Class Insecta) are a major group of arthropods and the most diverse group of animals on the Earth, with over a million described species — more than all other animal groups combined [1]. Insects may be found in nearly all environments on the planet, although only a... This article is about evolution in biology. ...

There are various types of scales according to shape and to class of animal. Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ...

Fish scales

Cosmoid scales

True cosmoid scales can only be found on the extinct Crossopterygians. The inner layer of the scale is made of lamellar bone. On top of this lies a layer of spongy or vascular bone and then a layer of dentinelike material called cosmine. The upper surface is keratin. The coelacanth has modified cosmoid scales that lack cosmine and are thinner than true cosmoid scales. ... Lamellar armour is a kind of personal armour consisting of small rectangular plates (lames) which are laced together in parallel rows. ... Vascular is an adjective for the word vessel and refers to tube-like structures. ... Dentin (BE: dentine) is the name of substance between the enamel (crown) or cementum (root) of a tooth and the pulp chamber. ... Microscopy of keratin filaments inside cells. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Ganoid scales

Ganoid scales can be found on gars (family Lepisosteidae) and bichirs and reedfishes (family Polypteridae). Ganoid scales are similar to cosmoid scales, but a layer of ganoin lies over the cosmine layer and under the enamel. They are diamond-shaped, shiny, and hard Species Atractosteus spatula Atractosteus tristoechus Atractosteus tropicus Lepisosteus oculatus Lepisosteus osseus Lepisosteus platostomus Lepisosteus platyrhincus In American English the name gar (or garpike) is strictly applied to members of the Lepisosteidae, a family including seven living species of fish in two genera that inhabit fresh, brackish, and occasionally marine, waters... Eukaryota > Metazoa > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata > Euteleostomi > Actinopterygii > Neopterygii > Semionotiformes > Lepisosteidae Lepisosteidae is a group of Semionotiformes animals that contains: Lepisosteus Lepisosteus oculatus Lepisosteus osseus Lepisosteus platyrhynchus Lepisosteus spatula ... Genera Erpetoichthys Polypterus See text for species. ... Genera Erpetoichthys Polypterus The bichirs are a family (Polypteridae) of primitive ray-finned fishes, the sole family in the order Polypteriformes. ...

Placoid scales

Placoid scales are found on cartilaginous fish and sharks. These scales, also called denticles, are similar in structure to teeth. Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. ... Orders Carcharhiniformes Heterodontiformes Hexanchiformes Lamniformes Orectolobiformes Pristiophoriformes Squaliformes Squatiniformes Symmoriida(extinct) Sharks (superorder Selachimorpha) are fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton[1] and a streamlined body. ... Denticles or placoid scales are small outgrowths which cover the skin of many cartilaginous fish including sharks. ... The visible teeth of a smile. ...

Keeled scales of a colubrid snake

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Leptoid scales

Leptoid scales are found on the higher bony fishes and come in two forms, ctenoid and cycloid scales.

Cycloid scales

Cycloid scales have a smooth outer edge, and are most common on more primitive fish with soft fin rays, such as salmon and carp. Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Ctenoid scales

Ctenoid scales have a toothed outer edge, and are usually found on more derived fishes with spiny fin rays, such as bass and crappie. Largemouth Bass Bass (IPA /bæs/) is a name shared by many different species of popular game fish. ... Species - white crappie - black crappie Pomoxis [Rafinesque, 1818], is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (family Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. ...

As they grow, cycloid and ctenoid scales add concentric layers. The scales of bony fishes are laid so as to overlap in a head-to-tail direction, a little like roof tiles, allowing a smoother flow of water over the body and therefore reducing drag. An object falling through a gas or liquid experiences a force in direction opposite to its motion. ...

Reptilian scales

Main article: snake scales

Reptile scale types include: cycloid, granular (which appear bumpy), and keeled (which have a center ridge). Elaborately shaped scales on the head of a Vine snake Ahaetulla nasuta. ... Subclasses Anapsida Diapsida Synonyms Reptilia Laurenti, 1768 Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane, and members of the class Sauropsida. ...

Arthropod scales

Butterfly and moth species of the order Lepidoptera (Greek "scale-winged") have membranous wings covered in delicate, powdery scales. Each scale consists of a series of tiny stacked platelets of organic material. Because the thickness of the platelets is on the same order as the wavelength of visible light the plates lead to structural coloration and iridescence through the physical phenomenon described as thin-film optics. Families Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera, it belongs to either the Hesperioidea (the skippers) or Papilionoidea (all other butterflies) Superfamilies. ... A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. ... Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera... The wavelength is the distance between repeating units of a wave pattern. ... The optical spectrum (light or visible spectrum) is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. ... The iridescence of the Blue Morpho butterfly wings. ... Thin-film optics is the branch of optics which deals with very thin structured layers of different materials. ...

Bibliography

References