Tag #Ultranegro

What is the significance of the discovery of ultra-black coloration in the velvet ant species *Traumatomutilla bifurca*?

The study of velvet ants (Mutillidae) is challenging due to their extreme sexual dimorphism and parasitic behavior. A Brazilian entomologist, Vinicius López, discovered that the species *Traumatomutilla bifurca* possesses an ultra-black color, reflecting less than 0.5% of incident light, a rare phenomenon in nature. This ultra-black color, achieved through a unique nanostructure, is currently under investigation for its function and potential technological applications.