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Magnetoreception and Biomineralization of Magnetite Fish

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Book cover Magnetite Biomineralization and Magnetoreception in Organisms

Part of the book series: Topics in Geobiology ((TGBI,volume 5))

Abstract

Many species from different taxa respond to one or more features of the geomagnetic field (Keeton, 1971, 1972; Lindauer and Martin, 1972; Wiltschko, 1972; Walcott and Green, 1974; Martin and Lindauer, 1977; Quinn, 1980; Wiltschko et al., 1981). These responses fall into two general categories: responses to magnetic field direction and to magnetic field intensity. Magnetic compass responses include the vanishing bearings of homing pigeons (Walcott and Green, 1974) and directional preferences of migratory species in orientation arena experiments (Wiltschko, 1972; Tesch, 1974; Quinn, 1980). The postulated magnetic intensity, or “map”, response (Gould, 1980, 1982; Moore, 1980; Walcott, 1980) refers to the apparent ability of homing pigeons to determine their position to within a kilometer or two using some feature related to geomagnetic field intensity. This response has been inferred from the vanishing bearings and homing speeds of birds released at geomagnetic field anomalies and during magnetic storms (Keeton, 1969, 1971, 1972; Gould, 1980, 1982; Walcott, 1980). Gould (Chapter 12, this volume) provides a full discussion of this research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southwest Fisheries Center Honolulu Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 96812, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Michael M. Walker

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii, 96822, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Michael M. Walker

  3. Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 91125, Pasadena, California, USA

    Joseph L. Kirschvink

  4. Southwest Fisheries Center La Jolla Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 92038, La Jolla, California, USA

    Andrew E. Dizon

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  1. Michael M. Walker
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  2. Joseph L. Kirschvink
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  3. Andrew E. Dizon
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

    Joseph L. Kirschvink

  2. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Douglas S. Jones

  3. Florida State Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Bruce J. MacFadden

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© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

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Walker, M.M., Kirschvink, J.L., Dizon, A.E. (1985). Magnetoreception and Biomineralization of Magnetite Fish. In: Kirschvink, J.L., Jones, D.S., MacFadden, B.J. (eds) Magnetite Biomineralization and Magnetoreception in Organisms. Topics in Geobiology, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0313-8_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0313-8_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7992-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0313-8

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