A subterranean mammal uses the magnetic compass for path integration.

ABSTRACT: Path integration allows animals to navigate without landmarks by continuously processing signals generated through locomotion. Insects such as bees and ants have evolved an accurate path integration system, assessing and coding rotations with the help of a general directional reference, the sun azimuth. In mammals, by contrast, this process can take place through purely idiothetic (mainly proprioceptive and vestibular) signals. However, without any stable external reference for measuring direction, path integration is highly affected by cumulative errors and thus has been considered so far as valid only for short-distance navigation. Here we show through two path integration experiments (homing and shortcut finding) that the blind mole rat assesses direction both through internal signals a

SUBMITTER: Kimchi T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC327158 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature