Moon and sun compasses in sandhoppers rely on two separate chronometric mechanisms

Ugolini, Alberto; Melis, Claudia; Innocenti, Riccardo; Tiribilli, Bruno; Castellini, C.

doi:10.1098/rspb.1999.0700

Cited by 29 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…(1) Sandhoppers tested under natural conditions of sun during the day show correct identification of the orienting factor Pardi and Ercolini, 1986); the same is well known for moon orientation at night Papi and Pardi, 1959;Papi, 1960;Enright, 1961;Enright, 1972;Ugolini, 2003;Ugolini et al, 1999a;Ugolini et al, 1999b;Ugolini et al, 2003) (see also present results).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

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The skylight gradient of luminance helps sandhoppers in sun and moon identification

Ugolini

Galanti

Mercatelli

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYTo return to the ecologically optimal zone of the beach, the sandhopper Talitrus saltator (Montagu) maintains a constant sea-land direction based on the sun and moon compasses. In this study, we investigated the role of the skylight gradient of luminance in sun and moon identification under natural and artificial conditions of illumination. Clock-shifted (inverted) sandhoppers tested under the sun (during their subjective night) and under the full moon (during their subjective day) exhibit orientation in accordance with correct identification of the sun and the moon at night. Tested in artificial conditions of illumination at night without the artificial gradient of luminance, the artificial astronomical cue is identified as the moon even when the conditions of illumination allow sun compass orientation during the day. When the artificial gradient of luminance is added, the artificial astronomical cue is identified as the sun. The role of the sky gradient of luminance in sun and moon identification is discussed on the basis of present and past findings.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

“…It has long been known Pardi and Papi, 1953) that both the sun and the moon compasses are used by sandhoppers, like Talitrus saltator (Montagu), and the relationships between compass systems of orientation have been investigated (Ugolini et al, 1999b;Ugolini, 2003;Meschini et al, 2008). As pointed out previously (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The skylight gradient of luminance helps sandhoppers in sun and moon identification

Ugolini

Galanti

Mercatelli

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…It should be emphasized that T. saltator is currently, to our knowledge, the only animal species in which an innate setting of the moon compass has been demonstrated. Indeed, T. saltator possesses two innate compass systems for astronomical orientation (the moon and the sun compass) and it has recently been demonstrated that their chronometric components are separate (Ugolini et al 1999b). Because the innate ecologically efficient direction indicated by the two compasses is the same, differences between the two orienting systems are due to the chronometric mechanisms: one for compensation for the apparent motion of the sun , the other for lunar compensation Papi 1960).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orientation at night: an innate moon compass in sandhoppers (Amphipoda: Talitridae)

Ugolini

Fantini

Innocenti

2003

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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The supralittoral amphipod Talitrus saltator is well known for its capacity for astronomical orientation using the sun and moon as compasses. It has also been demonstrated that the sun compass is innate in this species. In our experiments, we released inexpert (naive) young born in the laboratory into a confined environment under the full moon and in the absence of the horizontal component of the magnetic field. They were allowed to see the natural sky and the moon only at the moment of release. The young individuals were obtained in the laboratory by crossing adult individuals from the same and different populations of sandhoppers. The young from intrapopulation crosses were well oriented towards the directions corresponding to those of their parents, whereas the young from interpopulation crosses were oriented in an intermediate direction. Therefore, our experiments demonstrate in the sandhopper T. saltator that sea-land moon orientation relies on an innate chronometrically compensated mechanism.

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“…The moon compass coexists with a sun compass, but the two chronometric mechanisms are independent of each other (Ugolini et al 1999b). The use of the moon as an orienting factor, the existence of a moon compass and of separate chronometric mechanisms for sun and moon compensation, and the use of an artificial light source to reproduce good moon orientation have already been demonstrated in sandhoppers (Pardi & Papi 1952;Pardi & Ercolini 1986;Ugolini et al 1999aUgolini et al , 2002aUgolini et al , 2005).…”

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Moon orientation on moonless nights

2007

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The sandhopper Talitrus saltator is known to use sun and moon compasses to return to the band of wet sand on a beach. The two compass systems are based on separate chronometric mechanisms that compensate for the azimuthal movement of the two astronomical cues. The aim of our research was to test whether the sandhopper's time-compensating mechanism for lunar compass orientation continues to work during the new moon phase (i.e. when the moon is not visible). Our tests were carried out in a confined environment under the natural sky and in the laboratory under artificial light, in both the full and new moon phases. Sandhoppers released in sea water headed towards the expected land direction of their home beach using the natural or artificial moon as a compass cue independently of the moon's natural phase, including the new moon phase. The sandhoppers' chronometric mechanism that compensates for the moon's azimuthal motion thus works continuously, even during the phase when the actual moon is never visible. This could be based on spatiotemporal interpolation between visible moon positions.

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Moon and sun compasses in sandhoppers rely on two separate chronometric mechanisms

Cited by 29 publications

References 12 publications

The skylight gradient of luminance helps sandhoppers in sun and moon identification

The skylight gradient of luminance helps sandhoppers in sun and moon identification

Orientation at night: an innate moon compass in sandhoppers (Amphipoda: Talitridae)

Moon orientation on moonless nights

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