Title |
Unraveling navigational strategies in migratory insects
|
---|---|
Published in |
Current Opinion in Neurobiology, December 2011
|
DOI | 10.1016/j.conb.2011.11.009 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Christine Merlin, Stanley Heinze, Steven M Reppert |
Abstract |
Long-distance migration is a strategy some animals use to survive a seasonally changing environment. To reach favorable grounds, migratory animals have evolved sophisticated navigational mechanisms that rely on a map and compasses. In migratory insects, the existence of a map sense (sense of position) remains poorly understood, but recent work has provided new insights into the mechanisms some compasses use for maintaining a constant bearing during long-distance navigation. The best-studied directional strategy relies on a time-compensated sun compass, used by diurnal insects, for which neural circuits have begun to be delineated. Yet, a growing body of evidence suggests that migratory insects may also rely on other compasses that use night sky cues or the Earth's magnetic field. Those mechanisms are ripe for exploration. |
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