Morphology
Images of the three different layers of A. atlas cocoons were collected using a digital camera. Surface features of the different layers in the cocoons and the longitu- dinal and cross-sectional features of the degummed fi- bers were observed using a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM). Samples were sputter coated with gold palladium and observed in the SEM at a voltage of 20 kV.