Estimation of homing distance in desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, remains unaffected by disturbance of walking behaviour
Estimation of homing distance in desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, remains unaffected by disturbance of walking behaviour
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DOI：
10.1242/jeb.030403
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发表时间：
2009-09-15
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Wolf, Harald
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Steck, Kathrin;Wittlinger, Matthias;Wolf, Harald
沙漠蚂蚁，Cataglyphis fortis，在他们研究充分的路径整合系统中使用步幅积分器作为距离计（而天窗罗盘提供方向计）。为了进一步研究蚂蚁里程计的机制，我们试图通过干扰正常的行走行为来干扰步幅积分器。首先，选择性地切除正常行走中交替使用的两个腿三脚架之一的腿。这阻止了正常的三脚架步态，并且会干扰中枢神经系统控制的正常行走程序和腿部的正常感觉反馈。其次，观察到以规则波纹形式操纵行走基底干扰正常行走行为，至少对于正常步幅长度范围内的波长（12-25 mm）。动物们摔倒了，跌跌撞撞，或者脚步声模式被夹带到了波长。在几种情况下，步幅和步频之间的关系发生了变化。令人惊讶的是，距离估计和归航性能几乎不受影响，即使是最严重的干扰步行行为。这证明了行走行为和归巢的显著鲁棒性，并且它表明步幅长度由腿部感觉器官的鲁棒信号决定。
Desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, use a stride integrator as a distance gauge in their well-studied path integration system (while a skylight compass provides the direction gauge). To further scrutinize the mechanisms of the ant odometer, we tried to disturb the stride integrator by interfering with normal walking behaviour. First, legs that contribute to one of the two leg tripods alternately used in normal walking were selectively amputated. This prevented the normal tripod gait and should interfere with both the normal walking programme controlled by the central nervous system, and normal sensory feedback from the legs. Second, manipulation of the walking substrate in the form of regular corrugations was observed to interfere with normal walking behaviour, at least for corrugation wavelengths (12-25 mm) in the range of normal stride lengths. The animals fell and stumbled, or footfall patterns were entrained to the corrugation wavelength. The relationship between stride length and stride frequency was altered in several situations. Surprisingly, distance estimation and homing performance remained virtually unaffected even by the most severe interferences with walking behaviour. This demonstrates a remarkable robustness of walking behaviour and homing, and it suggests that stride length is determined by robust signals of leg sense organs.