Abstract

Study Overview

The research investigates how the movements of the nudibranch Tritonia exsulans, known for its magnetic sensitivity, are influenced by rare-earth magnets in its natural aquatic habitat.

Experimental Approach

• An exploratory study utilizing underwater video to observe crawling patterns.
• Deployment of varying strength magnets near the organisms.
• Paired comparisons of crawling patterns at different distances from the magnets.

Key Findings

While most measurements such as track length, displacement, and velocity showed no significant variation, notable differences were observed in the heading variability of tracks when closer to stronger magnets, suggesting a continuous use of a magnetic sense for navigation.

Conclusion

The findings support the hypothesis that T. exsulans uses a magnetic sense for straight-line navigation, paving the way for further tests to explore this biological compass mechanism fully.