title: Shedding light on vertebrate magnetoreception.
abstract: We review the challenges and recent progress in elucidating the physiological basis of animal magnetoreception. Behavioral and theoretical studies suggest a link between photoreception and magnetoreception in some animals. Neurophysiological studies have the potential to prove this link and identify the location of and the mechanism underlying the magnetoreception system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Dommer
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008280:Magnetics; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology