Abstract
Preliminary studies carried out on a population of Sphaeroma serratum have shown that this isopod uses the mechanism of sun compass to orient in the water. However, it appears that several environmental factors can influence this mechanism. The aim of this study was to check the sun compass in a population collected in the Ghar El Melh lagoon. Orientation experiments were realized in spring 2019: control experiments were carried out in the field, at the edge of the lagoon of Ghar El Melh lagoon (GMLE) and in an open space at the Faculty of Science of Tunis (FST). The experiments were carried out during three periods of the day: around 9:00, 12:00, and 15:00 using a circular arena filled with water, with (L) and without (S) the possibility of landscape view. Data analyses were performed using statistical tests of circular distribution data. To analyze the intervening factors in the solar orientation behavior of S. serratum a multiple regression analysis adapted to circular data (SPLM - spherically projected linear models) was used. Orientation angles were used as response variables, while factors as: landscape view (L or S), locality of the experiment (GMLE or FST), solar azimuth (azim), sky cloud degree (0–8), sun (visible, covered, shape, not visible) and time of the experiment, were used as influencing variables. The results showed that also the Ghar El Melh S. serratum use the sun azimuth to orient in the water. It resulted that the locality of the experiment significantly influenced their orientation, while the time of experiment had a minor effect.
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Acknowledgements
The present study was supported by the Laboratory of Diversity, Management and Conservation of Biological Systems (LR18ES06), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
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Bourguiba, K., Nasri-Ammar, K., Gambineri, S. et al. Solar orientation in Sphaeroma serratum from Ghar El Melh lagoon (Northern Tunisia). Biologia 76, 943–948 (2021). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00615-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00615-7