Moth proboscis morphology material properties raw data

Insects have evolved unique structures that host a diversity of material and mechanical properties, and the mouthparts (proboscis) of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are no exception. Here, we examined proboscis morphology and material properties from several previously unstudied moth lineages to determine if they relate to flower-visiting and non-flower-visiting feeding habits. Scanning electron microscopy and 3D imaging were used to study proboscis morphology and assess surface roughness patterns on the galeal surface, respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to study patterns of cuticular autofluorescence, which was quantified with color analysis software. We found that moth proboscises display similar color and morphological patterns in relation to these feeding habits as those previously described for flower and non-flower-visiting butterflies. The distal region of proboscises of non-flower visitors is brush-like for augmented capillarity and exhibited blue aut..., Data was collected from moth proboscises using scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. We conducted 12 proboscis measurments, which are represented in the table as \"proboscis length\", \"drinking region length\", \"% drinking region\", \"dorsal legulae width in drinking region\", \"dorsal legulae width in nondrinking region\", \"sensilla styloconica number\", \"sensilla styloconica length\", \"sensilla styloconica density\", and different surface roughness measurements gathered with 3D imaging on the scanning electron microscope. In addition, we quantified autofluorescence patterns of the proboscis cuticle using confocal microscopy and color quantification analysis software., , # Moth Proboscis Morphology Material Properties Raw Data

## Description of the data and file structure

The data is structured as an Excel file with proboscis measurements shown in columns, in coordination with moth species and family in rows. The variable \"Feeding Habit\" refers to the feeding habits of the studied moths. For this study, moths were categorized as either flower visitors (F), nonflower visitors (NF), or unknown feeding habit (U), which was based on the research of moth feeding habits using field guides and various websites. Moth species with unknown feeding habits were assigned feeding habits based on proboscis morphology after the analysis. The variable \"Forewing Lengths\" was used as a relative indicator of moth size, and was measured from the base of the forewing to its apex. The variables \"L*\", \"a*\", and \"b*\" refer to the results of the color analysis. L* values relate to the lightness of a color and is on a scale from 0-100, the a* values are on a scale of -120 - 1...