Hierarchy of sun, beach slope, and landmarks as cues for Y-axis orientation of the supratidal amphipod Talorchestia longicornis (Say)

作者：Walsh Molly E; Bourla Michael H; Sabella Colleen M; Forward Richard B Jr^*

来源：Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology, 2010, 43(3): 203-220.

DOI：10.1080/10236244.2010.490325

• Y-axis orientation
• landmarks
• slope
• sun compass orientation
• amphipod
• Talorchestia longicornis
• orientation cues
• hierarchy

The semi-terrestrial amphipod Talorchestia longicornis (Say) undergoes Y-axis orientation and has a hierarchy among orientation cues. A previous study found that they used sun compass orientation and moved in the onshore direction of the home beach in both air and water. The present study determined whether this species could also use local landmarks and beach slope as orientation cues. They oriented upslope in simulated darkness in the laboratory on both dry and wet sand with threshold slopes of 2 degrees and 4 degrees, respectively. When tested outside in an arena in air on wet sand, they were disoriented when sun, slope, and landmarks were absent as cues. If presented with single cues, they moved upslope, toward landmarks and in the up-beach direction of the home beach during sun compass orientation. Using paired cues, sun was dominant over slope and landmarks, while slope was dominant over landmarks. In the presence of all three cues, amphipods displayed sun compass orientation in all test combinations except when slope and landmarks were paired together against the sun, which evoked a bimodal response. Thus, the hierarchy of cues for up-beach movement of T. longicornis during Y-axis orientation is the sun, then the slope, and finally the landmarks.

• 出版日期2010