Socket Array Irregularities and Wing Membrane Distortions at the Eyespot Foci of Butterfly Wings Suggest Mechanical Signals for Color Pattern Determination

Eyespot foci on butterfly wings function as organizers of eyespot color patterns during development. Despite their importance, focal structures have not been examined in detail. Here, we microscopically examined scales, sockets, and the wing membrane in the butterfly eyespot foci of both expanded and unexpanded wings using the Blue Pansy butterfly