Image of the Week - 13 September 2005

X-Ray Microtomograph of Damselfly Nymph

An image of a damselfly nymph created using the Skyscan 1172 desktop X-ray Computed Micro-tomography instrument located in the Visualization, Media and Imaging Laboratory. The specimen was hand collected from a pond at Dodds Park in Champaign.
Damselfly nymphs are the aquatic stage of the predatory damselfly, which resembles the more familiar dragonfly but can position its wings parallel to its body. The dragonfly nymph is an underwater predator, usually lying in wait for other aquatic insects and then seizing them with its labium, which is much like a modified lower jaw.

Image Courtesy: Charles Mark Bee

Contact: c-bee1@itg.uiuc.edu