The 'superblack' patches on these spiders make their other colors shine | Science

The male spiders of the peacock attract the companions through elaborate dances that show their vibrant colors. It's hard to miss dazzling blues, reds and oranges on the abdomen. But how are the colors so vibrant?

The key seems to be a superblack patch on the arachnid's abdomen. Scientists have examined these spots on two types of peacock spiders (Maratus speciosus and Mr. Karriephoto) using an electron microscope and hyperspectral imagery, able to capture the colors of an image with extreme precision. They found that the patches consist of a set of tiny, very compact bumps called microlenses. These microlenses reflect less than 0.5% of the light, eliminating black reflections and making other close colors much brighter or even brighter, researchers said today. Acts of the Royal Society B.

Scientists note that this microlens surface is remarkably similar to that of artificial solar panels. These superblack stains are also seen in birds of paradise and play a key role in their sexual dance, suggesting that they can be common in nature.