Zoology: Magnetic compass in monarch migration
Nature Communications
June 25, 2014
The monarch butterfly uses a magnetic compass to direct its migration towards the equator, reports a study published this week in Nature Communications.
The North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is well known for its extraordinary migration, from the United States and southern Canada, thousands of miles southwards to the mountains of Michoacan in central Mexico, where it spends the winter. Monarchs are known to use a time-compensated sun compass to direct their flight. However, when weather conditions preclude this (overcast skies etc.), they remain flying in the expected southern direction.
Steven Reppert and colleagues used a flight simulator, surrounded by a magnetic coil system, to show that, in addition to a sun compass, the monarchs use a magnetic compass that helps direct their flight towards the equator. They also found that this magnetic compass is light-dependent-with relevant light-sensitive magnetosensors appearing to reside in the antennae-and is an essential orientation mechanism to aid migration.
Following recent reports showing that electromagnetic noise disrupts magnetic compass orientation in birds, this study now raises the concern that human-induced magnetic noise might also be a potential hazard for monarchs.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms5164
Research highlights
-
Jul 6
Biotechnology: Mice cloned from freeze-dried somatic cellsNature Communications
-
Jul 4
Particle physics: A decade of Higgs boson researchNature
-
Jul 1
Space health: The path of most resistance could help limit bone loss during spaceflightScientific Reports
-
Jun 30
Evolution: Hawks learn on the fly to swoop up before perchingNature
-
Jun 28
Astronomy: Hydrogen- and helium-rich exoplanets may provide habitable conditions for billions of yearsNature Astronomy
-
Jun 24
Sport science: New wearable sensor to measure neck strain may detect potential concussionScientific Reports