scholarly journals Neural Integration Underlying a Time-Compensated Sun Compass in the Migratory Monarch Butterfly

Cell Reports ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Shlizerman ◽  
James Phillips-Portillo ◽  
Daniel B. Forger ◽  
Steven M. Reppert
Keyword(s):  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Neural Integration

scholarly journals Connecting the Navigational Clock to Sun Compass Input in Monarch Butterfly Brain

Neuron ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivo Sauman ◽  
Adriana D. Briscoe ◽  
Haisun Zhu ◽  
Dingding Shi ◽  
Oren Froy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Sun Compass

Anatomical basis of sun compass navigation II: The neuronal composition of the central complex of the monarch butterfly

2012 ◽  
Vol 521 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Heinze ◽  
Jeremy Florman ◽  
Surainder Asokaraj ◽  
Basil el Jundi ◽  
Steven M. Reppert
Keyword(s):  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Central Complex ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Anatomical Basis ◽  
Compass Navigation

scholarly journals Stimulus-dependent orientation strategies in monarch butterflies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Franzke ◽  
Christian Kraus ◽  
Maria Gayler ◽  
David Dreyer ◽  
Keram Pfeiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Central Complex ◽  
Orientation Behavior ◽  
Compass Orientation ◽  
Monarch Butterflies ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Bright Stripe ◽  
Flight Route

Insects are well-known for their ability to keep track of their heading direction based on a combination of skylight cues and visual landmarks. This allows them to navigate back to their nest, disperse throughout unfamiliar environments, as well as migrate over large distances between their breeding and non-breeding habitats. The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) for instance is known for its annual southward migration from North America to certain trees in Central Mexico. To maintain a constant flight route, these butterflies use a time-compensated sun compass for orientation which is processed in a region in the brain, termed the central complex. However, to successfully complete their journey, the butterflies' brain must generate a multitude of orientation strategies, allowing them to dynamically switch from sun-compass orientation to a tactic behavior toward a certain target. To study if monarch butterflies exhibit different orientation modes and if they can switch between them, we observed the orientation behavior of tethered flying butterflies in a flight simulator while presenting different visual cues to them. We found that the butterflies' behavior depended on the presented visual stimulus. Thus, while a dark stripe was used for flight stabilization, a bright stripe was fixated by the butterflies in their frontal visual field. If we replaced a bright stripe by a simulated sun stimulus, the butterflies switched their orientation behavior and exhibited compass orientation. Taken together, our data show that monarch butterflies rely on and switch between different orientation modes, allowing them to adjust orientation to the actual behavioral demands of the animal.

scholarly journals Anatomical basis of sun compass navigation II: The neuronal composition of the central complex of the monarch butterfly

2012 ◽  
Vol 521 (2) ◽  
pp. Spc1-Spc1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Heinze ◽  
Jeremy Florman ◽  
Surainder Asokaraj ◽  
Basil el Jundi ◽  
Steven M. Reppert
Keyword(s):  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Central Complex ◽  
Sun Compass ◽  
Anatomical Basis ◽  
Compass Navigation

The Safe Aircraft Competition, The Sun Compass, and more

1930 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-234
Author(s):  
Alexander Klemin
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
Sun Compass

Role of MicroRNA Genes miR-1000 and miR-375 in Forming Olfactory Conditional Memory in Drosophila melanogaster

MicroRNA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadniman Rahman ◽  
Chaity Modak ◽  
Mousumi Akter ◽  
Mohammad Shamimul Alam
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Memory Formation ◽  
Neural Integration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Locomotion Speed ◽  
Microrna Genes ◽  
With Memory

Background: Learning and memory is basic aspects in neurogenetics as most of the neurological disorders start with dementia or memory loss. Several genes associated with memory formation have been discovered. MicroRNA genes miR-1000 and miR-375 were reported to be associated with neural integration and glucose homeostasis in some insects and vertebrates. However, neuronal function of these genes is yet to be established in D. melanogaster. Objective: Possible role of miR-1000 and miR-375 in learning and memory formation in this fly has been explored in the present study. Methods: Both appetitive and aversive olfactory conditional learning were tested in the miR-1000 and miR-375 knockout (KO) strains and compared with wild one. Five days old third instar larvae were trained by allowing them to be associated with an odor with reward (fructose) or punishment (salt). Then, the larvae were tested to calculate their preferences to the odor trained with. Learning index (LI) values and larval locomotion speed were calculated for all strains. Results: No significant difference was observed for larval locomotion speed in mutant strains. Knockout strain of miR-1000 showed significant deficiency in both appetitive and aversive memory formation whereas miR-375 KO strain showed a significantly lower response only in appetitive one. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate important role played by these two genes in forming short-term memory in D. melanogaster.

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