| how hollow melanosomes affect iridescent colour production in birds. | developmental constraints and trade-offs can limit diversity, but organisms have repeatedly evolved morphological innovations that overcome these limits by expanding the range and functionality of traits. iridescent colours in birds are commonly produced by melanin-containing organelles (melanosomes) organized into nanostructured arrays within feather barbules. variation in array type (e.g. multilayers and photonic crystals, pcs) is known to have remarkable effects on plumage colour, but the opt ... | 2013 | 23902909 |