Bats respond to polarity of a magnetic field

Bats have been shown to use information from the Earth's magnetic field during orientation. However, the mechanism underlying this ability remains unknown. In this study we investigated whether bats possess a polarity- or inclination-based compass that could be used in orientation. We monitored...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 2007-11, Vol.274 (1627), p.2901-2905
Main Authors: Wang, Yinan, Pan, Yongxin, Parsons, Stuart, Walker, Michael, Zhang, Shuyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bats
Birds
Chiroptera - physiology
Circles
Compasses
Declination
Earth (Planet)
Hanging Position
Homing Behavior
Magnetic compasses
Magnetic fields
Magnetic polarity
Magnetics
Mammals
Navigation
Nyctalus
Nyctalus plancyi
Orientation
Orientation - physiology
Polarity Compass
Spatial Behavior
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Summary:Bats have been shown to use information from the Earth's magnetic field during orientation. However, the mechanism underlying this ability remains unknown. In this study we investigated whether bats possess a polarity- or inclination-based compass that could be used in orientation. We monitored the hanging position of adult Nyctalus plancyi in the laboratory in the presence of an induced magnetic field of twice Earth-strength. When under the influence of a normally aligned induced field the bats showed a significant preference for hanging at the northern end of their roosting basket. When the vertical component of the field was reversed, the bats remained at the northern end of the basket. However, when the horizontal component of the field was reversed, the bats changed their positions and hung at the southern end of the basket. Based on these results, we conclude that N. plancyi, unlike all other non-mammalian vertebrates tested to date, uses a polarity-based compass during orientation in the roost, and that the same compass is also likely to underlie bats' long-distance navigation abilities.
ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2007.0904