Stellar performance : Mechanisms underlying milky way orientation in dung beetles

Foster, James J.Lund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups (author)

Nocturnal dung beetles (Scarabaeus satyrus) are currently the only animals that have been demonstrated to use the Milky Way for reliable orientation. In this study, we tested the capacity of S. satyrus to orient under a range of artificial celestial cues, and compared the properties of these cues with images of the Milky Way simulated for a beetle’s visual system. We find that the mechanism that permits accurate stellar orientation under the Milky Way is based on an intensity comparison between different regions of the Milky Way. We determined the beetles’ contrast sensitivity for this task in behavioural experiments in the laboratory, and found that the resulting threshold of 13% is sufficient to detect the contrast between the southern and northern arms of the Milky Way under natural conditions. This mechanism should be effective under extremely dim conditions and on nights when the Milky Way forms a near symmetrical band that crosses the zenith. These findings are discussed in the context of studies of stellar orientation in migratory birds and itinerant seals.

el Jundi, BasilLund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)biol-bie (author)
Smolka, JochenLund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)cob-jcs (author)
Khaldy, LanaLund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)biol-lkl (author)
Nilsson, Dan EricLund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)zool-dni (author)
Byrne, Marcus JUniversity of the Witwatersrand (author)
Dacke, MarieLund University,Lunds universitet,Syngruppen,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Lund Vision Group,Lund University Research Groups,University of the Witwatersrand(Swepub:lu)zool-mda (author)
SyngruppenForskargrupper vid Lunds universitet (creator_code:org_t)

In:Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences: The Royal Society372:17170962-84361471-2970

By the author/editor: Foster, James J.; el Jundi, Basil; Smolka, Jochen; Khaldy, Lana; Nilsson, Dan Eri ...; Byrne, Marcus J; show more...; Dacke, Marie; show less...

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