RESEARCH ON THE NON-VISUAL ORIENTATION OF LITTORAL AMPHIPODS: EXPERIMENTS WITH YOUNG BORN IN CAPTIVITY AND ADULTS FROM A SOMALIAN POPULATION OF TALORCHESTIA MARTENSII WEBER (CRUSTACEA AMPHIPODA)

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Abstract
Experiments were made on a population of Talorchestia martensii Weber from the sandy beach of Gesira, located 10 km S of Mogadiscio (STFD = 132°; LTFD = 312°) with the aim of controlling whether these Amphipods are capable of a directional orientation in experimental conditions of complete darkness and aridity. These experiments were made with adults collected a few days or immediately before each test as well as with young born and raised in the laboratory. The tests were made in the spring of 1969 in the phase of positive solar declination, both 60 km inland and on the home beach, at various hours during the day. Although of the test conditions were definitely motivating for the animals, no evidence was obtained to support the view that the population studied is capable of correct orientation towards sea or land when visual cues are excluded.