Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
We tested whether migrating Aphrissa statira butterflies orient with a magnetic compass. We captured migrants flying over Lake Gatun, Panama, and exposed experimental butterflies to a strong magnetic field. These and unmanipulated control butterflies were released back over the lake. Experimental bu...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10088/18790 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 |
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ftsmithonian:oai:repository.si.edu:10088/18790 2023-05-15T18:22:55+02:00 Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) Srygley, Robert B. Dudley, T. R. Oliveira, Evandro G. Riveros, Andre J. 2006 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10088/18790 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 unknown Animal Behaviour Srygley, Robert B., Dudley, T. R., Oliveira, Evandro G., and Riveros, Andre J. 2006. " Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) ." Animal Behaviour . 71 (1):183–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 0003-3472 http://hdl.handle.net/10088/18790 110862 doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 Journal Article 2006 ftsmithonian https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 2020-09-09T18:32:48Z We tested whether migrating Aphrissa statira butterflies orient with a magnetic compass. We captured migrants flying over Lake Gatun, Panama, and exposed experimental butterflies to a strong magnetic field. These and unmanipulated control butterflies were released back over the lake. Experimental butterflies had a more dispersed pattern of orientation than control butterflies. The average direction adopted was northeast, 160 anticlockwise to the natural migratory direction. Unmanipulated control butterflies adopted two diametrically opposed orientations: one shifted 33 clockwise, and another 147 anticlockwise, to the migratory direction. Control and experimental butterflies differed in that some controls oriented towards the migratory direction. These differences in orientation support the hypothesis of a sense for magnetic orientation cues. Unmanipulated butterflies released over the lake when the sky was completely overcast were significantly oriented towards their direction before capture (187 and 203, respectively), further supporting the magnetic compass hypothesis. In a third experiment, we obstructed sun compass cues and reversed the horizontal component of the local geomagnetic field to position magnetic north towards the geographical south pole within a flight arena into which we released individual butterflies. Experimental butterflies experiencing the reversed magnetic field oriented on average 180 opposite to their natural migratory direction. Control butterflies, for which the position of magnetic north was unaltered, were oriented both towards and 180 opposite to the natural migratory direction. This difference between orientations of control and experimental butterflies also supports the hypothesis of a sense for magnetic orientation cues. STRI Article in Journal/Newspaper South pole Unknown South Pole Animal Behaviour 71 1 183 191 |
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We tested whether migrating Aphrissa statira butterflies orient with a magnetic compass. We captured migrants flying over Lake Gatun, Panama, and exposed experimental butterflies to a strong magnetic field. These and unmanipulated control butterflies were released back over the lake. Experimental butterflies had a more dispersed pattern of orientation than control butterflies. The average direction adopted was northeast, 160 anticlockwise to the natural migratory direction. Unmanipulated control butterflies adopted two diametrically opposed orientations: one shifted 33 clockwise, and another 147 anticlockwise, to the migratory direction. Control and experimental butterflies differed in that some controls oriented towards the migratory direction. These differences in orientation support the hypothesis of a sense for magnetic orientation cues. Unmanipulated butterflies released over the lake when the sky was completely overcast were significantly oriented towards their direction before capture (187 and 203, respectively), further supporting the magnetic compass hypothesis. In a third experiment, we obstructed sun compass cues and reversed the horizontal component of the local geomagnetic field to position magnetic north towards the geographical south pole within a flight arena into which we released individual butterflies. Experimental butterflies experiencing the reversed magnetic field oriented on average 180 opposite to their natural migratory direction. Control butterflies, for which the position of magnetic north was unaltered, were oriented both towards and 180 opposite to the natural migratory direction. This difference between orientations of control and experimental butterflies also supports the hypothesis of a sense for magnetic orientation cues. STRI |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Srygley, Robert B. Dudley, T. R. Oliveira, Evandro G. Riveros, Andre J. |
spellingShingle |
Srygley, Robert B. Dudley, T. R. Oliveira, Evandro G. Riveros, Andre J. Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
author_facet |
Srygley, Robert B. Dudley, T. R. Oliveira, Evandro G. Riveros, Andre J. |
author_sort |
Srygley, Robert B. |
title |
Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
title_short |
Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
title_full |
Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
title_fullStr |
Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) |
title_sort |
experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in neotropical migrating butterflies (lepidoptera: pieridae) |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10088/18790 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 |
geographic |
South Pole |
geographic_facet |
South Pole |
genre |
South pole |
genre_facet |
South pole |
op_relation |
Animal Behaviour Srygley, Robert B., Dudley, T. R., Oliveira, Evandro G., and Riveros, Andre J. 2006. " Experimental evidence for a magnetic sense in Neotropical migrating butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) ." Animal Behaviour . 71 (1):183–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 0003-3472 http://hdl.handle.net/10088/18790 110862 doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.04.013 |
container_title |
Animal Behaviour |
container_volume |
71 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
183 |
op_container_end_page |
191 |
_version_ |
1766202324221427712 |