title: Behavioural evidence of magnetoreception in dolphins: detection of experimental magnetic fields.
abstract: Magnetoreception, meaning the perception of magnetic fields, is supposed to play an important role for orientation/navigation in some terrestrial and aquatic species. Although some spatial observations of free-ranging cetaceans' migration routes and stranding sites led to the assumption that cetaceans may be sensitive to the geomagnetic field, experimental evidence is lacking. Here, we tested the spontaneous response of six captive bottlenose dolphins to the presentation of two magnetized and demagnetized controlled devices while they were swimming freely. Dolphins approached the device with shorter latency when it contained a strongly magnetized neodymium block compared to a control demagnetized block that was identical in form and density and therefore undistinguishable with echolocation. We conclude that dolphins are able to discriminate the two stimuli on the basis of their magnetic properties, a prerequisite for magnetoreception-based navigation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Éthologie Animale et Humaine - EthoS UMR CNRS 6552, Université de Rennes 1, Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France.
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López Marulanda
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hausberger
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemasson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004289:Dolphins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008297:Male; D013995:Time