<p>
 I found this flat-backed millipede (order Polydesmida) specimen while walking around the Stanford campus at night after a strong winter shower. I removed a small piece of the exoskeleton cuticle, and examined it with my foldscope while shining an ultraviolet light, which produced the iridescent blue seen in the iPhone image. β-carboline has been identified as a compound involved with producing this stunning fluorescence.
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<figure class="wp-block-image">
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Millipede Cuticle under Ultraviolet Light

Jules Wyman

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