Polarised skylight and the landmark panorama provide night-active bull ants with compass information during route following

Reid, Samuel F.; Narendra, Ajay; Hemmi, Jan M.; Zeil, Jochen

doi:10.1242/jeb.049338

Cited by 109 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The findings extend the integration of multiple cues for navigation to another ant species tested in different conditions. Integration of multiple cues has now been shown in M. pyriformis (Reid et al, 2011), M. croslandi (Narendra et al, 2013), C. fortis (Collett, 2012) and M. bagoti (current results), across a range of cue manipulations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…Reid and colleagues (Reid et al, 2011) presented homing night-active bull ants (Myrmecia pyriformis) with a conflict between celestial and terrestrial cues. This was achieved by using a polarising filter that rotated the pattern of polarisation by 45 deg, thus creating a discrepancy between this cue and the unmanipulated terrestrial panorama.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Combining sky and Earth: Desert ants (Melophorus bagoti) show weighted integration of celestial and terrestrial cues

Legge

Wystrach

Spetch

et al. 2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Insects typically use celestial sources of directional information for path integration, and terrestrial panoramic information for view-based navigation. Here we set celestial and terrestrial sources of directional information in conflict for homing desert ants (Melophorus bagoti). In the first experiment, ants learned to navigate out of a round experimental arena with a distinctive artificial panorama. On crucial tests, we rotated the arena to create a conflict between the artificial panorama and celestial information. In a second experiment, ants at a feeder in their natural visually-cluttered habitat were displaced prior to their homing journey so that the dictates of path integration (feeder to nest direction) based on a celestial compass conflicted with the dictates of view-based navigation (release point to nest direction) based on the natural terrestrial panorama. In both experiments, ants generally headed in a direction intermediate to the dictates of celestial and terrestrial information. In the second experiment, the ants put more weight on the terrestrial cues when they provided better directional information. We conclude that desert ants weight and integrate the dictates of celestial and terrestrial information in determining their initial heading, even when the two directional cues are highly discrepant.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining sky and Earth: Desert ants (Melophorus bagoti) show weighted integration of celestial and terrestrial cues

Legge

Wystrach

Spetch

et al. 2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…It has recently been reported that UV contrast is highly effective for sky segmentation and the resulting binary panoramic skyline images can support effective navigation in ants [29,30]. The night-active M. vindex may be forced to slow down their UV receptors not only to ensure sufficient skyline contrast for landmark guidance [28], but also to obtain reliable compass information from the dim pattern of polarized skylight in the evening twilight [24].…”

Section: Discussion (A) Three Spectrally Distinct Photoreceptors In Antsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three spectrally distinct photoreceptors in diurnal and nocturnal Australian ants

et al. 2015

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Ants are thought to be special among Hymenopterans in having only dichromatic colour vision based on two spectrally distinct photoreceptors. Many ants are highly visual animals, however, and use vision extensively for navigation. We show here that two congeneric day-and night-active Australian ants have three spectrally distinct photoreceptor types, potentially supporting trichromatic colour vision. Electroretinogram recordings show the presence of three spectral sensitivities with peaks (l max ) at 370, 450 and 550 nm in the night-active Myrmecia vindex and peaks at 370, 470 and 510 nm in the day-active Myrmecia croslandi. Intracellular electrophysiology on individual photoreceptors confirmed that the night-active M. vindex has three spectral sensitivities with peaks (l max ) at 370, 430 and 550 nm. A large number of the intracellular recordings in the night-active M. vindex show unusually broad-band spectral sensitivities, suggesting that photoreceptors may be coupled. Spectral measurements at different temporal frequencies revealed that the ultraviolet receptors are comparatively slow. We discuss the adaptive significance and the probability of trichromacy in Myrmecia ants in the context of dim light vision and visual navigation.

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“…Here we investigate head roll orientation in the nocturnal ant Myrmecia pyriformis Smith 1858, which has previously been shown to rely heavily on vision for navigation (Narendra et al, 2013c;Reid et al, 2011). We ask (1) whether nocturnal ants exhibit compensatory head movements to stabilise their gaze while walking, (2) to what extent their visual system is involved in head stabilisation, and (3) whether a change in ambient light intensity affects head stabilisation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Head roll stabilisation in the nocturnal bull ant Myrmecia pyriformis: Implications for visual navigation

Raderschall

Narendra

Zeil

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Ant foragers are known to memorise visual scenes that allow them to repeatedly travel along idiosyncratic routes and to return to specific places. Guidance is provided by a comparison between visual memories and current views, which critically depends on how well the attitude of the visual system is controlled. Here we show that nocturnal bull ants stabilise their head to varying degrees against locomotion-induced body roll movements, and this ability decreases as light levels fall. There are always un-compensated head roll oscillations that match the frequency of the stride cycle. Head roll stabilisation involves both visual and non-visual cues as ants compensate for body roll in complete darkness and also respond with head roll movements when confronted with visual pattern oscillations. We show that imperfect head roll control degrades navigation-relevant visual information and discuss ways in which navigating ants may deal with this problem.

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Polarised skylight and the landmark panorama provide night-active bull ants with compass information during route following

Cited by 109 publications

References 44 publications

Combining sky and Earth: Desert ants (Melophorus bagoti) show weighted integration of celestial and terrestrial cues

Combining sky and Earth: Desert ants (Melophorus bagoti) show weighted integration of celestial and terrestrial cues

Three spectrally distinct photoreceptors in diurnal and nocturnal Australian ants

Head roll stabilisation in the nocturnal bull ant Myrmecia pyriformis: Implications for visual navigation

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