Testing magnetic orientation in a solitary subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia: Octodontidae)

SCHLEICH, C.E.; ANTINUCHI, C.D.

ETHOLOGY

Blackwell Verlag

Año: 2004 vol. 110 p. 485 - 495

0179-1613

To test for the hypothesis that Ctenomys talarum can use the earth’s magnetic field for spatial orientation, we carried out field and laboratory experiments to analyse if C.tala rum burrows present any geomagnetic orientation in their natural habitat, if C.tala rum show any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate their burrows and if this subterranean rodent is capable to use the earth’s magnetic field to orient towards a goal in a complexmaze. No correlation between the burrowing direction and the earth’s magnetic field was found. We could not find any evidence for any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate the burrows in C.tala rum. The change of the horizontal vector of the geomagnetic field did not affect the ability of this rodent to orient towards a goal in an artificial labyrinth. Explanations for these results and other possible mechanisms of orientation that could be used by C.tala rum are discussed.Ctenomys talarum can use the earth’s magnetic field for spatial orientation, we carried out field and laboratory experiments to analyse if C.tala rum burrows present any geomagnetic orientation in their natural habitat, if C.tala rum show any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate their burrows and if this subterranean rodent is capable to use the earth’s magnetic field to orient towards a goal in a complexmaze. No correlation between the burrowing direction and the earth’s magnetic field was found. We could not find any evidence for any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate the burrows in C.tala rum. The change of the horizontal vector of the geomagnetic field did not affect the ability of this rodent to orient towards a goal in an artificial labyrinth. Explanations for these results and other possible mechanisms of orientation that could be used by C.tala rum are discussed.C.tala rum burrows present any geomagnetic orientation in their natural habitat, if C.tala rum show any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate their burrows and if this subterranean rodent is capable to use the earth’s magnetic field to orient towards a goal in a complexmaze. No correlation between the burrowing direction and the earth’s magnetic field was found. We could not find any evidence for any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate the burrows in C.tala rum. The change of the horizontal vector of the geomagnetic field did not affect the ability of this rodent to orient towards a goal in an artificial labyrinth. Explanations for these results and other possible mechanisms of orientation that could be used by C.tala rum are discussed.C.tala rum show any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate their burrows and if this subterranean rodent is capable to use the earth’s magnetic field to orient towards a goal in a complexmaze. No correlation between the burrowing direction and the earth’s magnetic field was found. We could not find any evidence for any spontaneous directional preference when starting to excavate the burrows in C.tala rum. The change of the horizontal vector of the geomagnetic field did not affect the ability of this rodent to orient towards a goal in an artificial labyrinth. Explanations for these results and other possible mechanisms of orientation that could be used by C.tala rum are discussed.C.tala rum. The change of the horizontal vector of the geomagnetic field did not affect the ability of this rodent to orient towards a goal in an artificial labyrinth. Explanations for these results and other possible mechanisms of orientation that could be used by C.tala rum are discussed.C.tala rum are discussed.