Sun compass orientation of Tylos europaeus (Crustacea, Isopoda) under artificial light

Year: 2004

Authors: Ugolini A., Castellini C.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Florence, Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy;
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy

Abstract: To provide a first assessment of the parameters used by adult individuals of the supralittoral isopod Tylos europaeus to recognize the sun as a compass orienting reference, we used the apparatus designed and tested with the amphipod T. saltator. The apparatus reproduces a scenario similar to the natural one (with a false sun and sky illuminated artificially). The scenario produced inside the apparatus is sufficient to induce the isopods to exhibit solar orientation similar to that of conspecifics tested under the natural sun and sky. Nevertheless, this ability depends on some threshold values of illumination of the artificial sun and sky: to obtain a good orientation the irradiance of the artificial sun and sky should be more than 0.4 and 1.3 muW/cm(2) respectively. When the artificial sky is not illuminated, the individuals show only a photopositive tendency.

Journal/Review: ETHOLOGY

Volume: 110 (8)      Pages from: 581  to: 590

KeyWords: Talitrus-saltator; Celestial Orientation; Amphipoda
DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2004.00997.x

Citations: 2
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