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Y-axis orientation in the South American freshwater snail species Chilina patagonica (Gastropoda: Chilinidae)
Authors:Lukas Landler  Parm Viktor von Oheimb
Institution:1. Department of Invertebrate Zoology , Natural History Museum of Vienna , Vienna , Austria;2. Department of Biological Sciences , Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) , 4078 Derring Hall, Blacksburg , VA , 24061 , USA lukasl@vt.edu;4. Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics , Justus Liebig University Giessen , Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 (IFZ), D-35392 , Giessen , Germany
Abstract:Y-axis orientation, a movement perpendicular to the shore or coastline, enables aquatic animals to stay in a preferred zone in generally unstable habitats. Such behaviour is a widespread phenomenon in many freshwater and intertidal animal taxa. In the present study, an arena approach was used to test the orientation response of pulmonate freshwater snails. Using this experimental design, Y-axis orientation was shown for the first time in a freshwater snail species, the riverine Chilina patagonica. Some cues, potentially mediating Y-axis orientation, appeared to play no role in the shown orientation behaviour, such as chemical, gravity and humidity cues or a sun compass. Magnetic cues, however, could not be excluded. Since no significant differences in orientation were detected between different size classes in C. patagonica, orientation behaviour may not vary substantially throughout the snail's life history. In contrast to C. patagonica, no consistent orientation response was seen in the related lacustrine species Chilina llanquihuensis. The adaptation of C. patagonica to exhibit orientation along the Y-axis may be driven by the avoidance of high velocities in deeper water.
Keywords:behavioural ecology  Chile  Chilina llanquihuensis  shoreward orientation
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