February 2021 PMID 33622121

Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch butterflies.

Tu Anh Thi Nguyen, M Jerome Beetz, Christine Merlin, Basil El Jundi

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Mentions

30
Peak: 9 in Feb 2021
across 4 sources since Feb 2021

Extended reach

214,130
potential audience

Total likes

57

Video views

32

Mentions per month

Feb 2021 – Oct 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter17 posts
  • News11 articles
  • Bluesky1 posts
  • YouTube1 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The collective discussions show enthusiasm and support for the study, with posts like '@Tsusumu2 Looking forward to your upcoming experiments' and mentions of the neurons' sensitivity to migratory directions, which highlight curiosity and perceived importance. The tone is positive and collaborative, emphasizing the broader implications for understanding animal navigation.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge and support the significance of the study, emphasizing its relevance to understanding navigation in monarch butterflies.

InterestHigh interest

The posts display high interest, with references to upcoming experiments, enthusiasm about the findings, and highlighting the study’s implications.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts engage deeply by noting specific details, such as the neuronal tuning to migratory directions, and by mentioning collaboration efforts and related future research.

ImpactModerate impact

Considering the focus on neural mechanisms and migration, discussions suggest the research could influence future studies in animal navigation and neurobiology, indicating moderate to high perceived impact.

Abstract in brief

  • Monarch butterflies use celestial cues like the sun and skylight to navigate during their migration from North America to Central Mexico, with their brain’s central complex acting as an internal compass.
  • The study found that neurons in the central complex encode the sun's position more precisely in migratory butterflies than in nonmigratory ones, likely because migratory butterflies need a more accurate compass for their long journey.
  • These findings help us understand how brain mechanisms adapt in animals to support complex behaviors like migration, relying on celestial cues for orientation.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Jason Haider
@jason__haider · X

An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butterflies and examining how this #sun compass is adapted to successfully steer migratory butterflies to distant destinations. #biology https://t.co/Q04lSbWo4K https://t.co/QhQabULJOp

Feb 24, 2021 · 29 likes · 6 shares · 130,535 followers View post →
The Monarchlab
@tamumonarchlab · X

New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch butterflies https://t.co/UhBssHhZG1

Feb 24, 2021 · 26 likes · 5 shares · 757 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch #butterflies - #ProcB https://t.co/BB0NsWmneh @tamumonarchlab @TAMU_Biology https://t.co/N18yAZm701

Mar 1, 2021 · 2 likes · 38,704 followers View post →
Steve David.
@SteveDavid845 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Jul 20, 2022 · 6 shares · 22,449 followers View post →
Shahid Abbas Bokhari
@adilshe37346142 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Dec 7, 2021 · 6 shares · 5,154 followers View post →
Shahid Abbas Bokhari
@adilshe37346142 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Dec 16, 2022 · 6 shares · 5,154 followers View post →

All mentions

Shahid Abbas Bokhari
@adilshe37346142 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Dec 16, 2022 · 6 shares · 5,154 followers View post →
joanne
@Redheadirish33 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Aug 15, 2022 · 6 shares · 195 followers View post →
International Society for Neuroethology
@neuroethology.org · Bluesky

6. Sun compass #neurons are tuned to #migratory #orientation in monarch butterflies: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.2988?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

Jul 27, 2022 · 1 share View post →
Steve David.
@SteveDavid845 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Jul 20, 2022 · 6 shares · 22,449 followers View post →
İLAYDA
@LAYDA66566487 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

May 5, 2022 · 6 shares · 2 followers View post →
Jerome Beetz
@BeetzJerome · X

@Tsusumu2 Looking forward to your upcoming experiments. Note that, compass neurons of migratory monarch butterflies are most sensitively tuned to their migratory direction.

Feb 5, 2022 · 743 followers View post →
Shahid Abbas Bokhari
@adilshe37346142 · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Dec 7, 2021 · 6 shares · 5,154 followers View post →
Vivek Shukla
@ishuklavivekgar · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

May 31, 2021 · 6 shares · 1,185 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch #butterflies - #ProcB https://t.co/BB0NsWmneh @tamumonarchlab @TAMU_Biology https://t.co/N18yAZm701

Mar 1, 2021 · 2 likes · 38,704 followers View post →
TAMU Science
@TAMUScience · X

RT @tamumonarchlab: New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun com…

Feb 26, 2021 · 5 shares · 3,350 followers View post →
Guijun Wan
@Magnetoresponse · X

RT @tamumonarchlab: New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun com…

Feb 25, 2021 · 5 shares · 29 followers View post →
Andy Xor
@andy_xor · X

RT @jason__haider: An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butte…

Feb 25, 2021 · 6 shares · 1,447 followers View post →
Jason Haider
@jason__haider · X

An exciting study published in the Journal of the Royal Society exploring the #neural coding of celestial cues in #butterflies and examining how this #sun compass is adapted to successfully steer migratory butterflies to distant destinations. #biology https://t.co/Q04lSbWo4K https://t.co/QhQabULJOp

Feb 24, 2021 · 29 likes · 6 shares · 130,535 followers View post →
David Wilcockson
@Clocks_n_crabs · X

RT @tamumonarchlab: New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun com…

Feb 24, 2021 · 5 shares · 926 followers View post →
TAMU Biology
@TAMU_Biology · X

RT @tamumonarchlab: New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun com…

Feb 24, 2021 · 5 shares · 1,538 followers View post →
Stephen Montgomery
@eohomo · X

RT @tamumonarchlab: New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun com…

Feb 24, 2021 · 5 shares · 1,113 followers View post →
The Monarchlab
@tamumonarchlab · X

New pub with our collaborators Tu Ahn Nguyen, Jerome Beetz and Basil el Jundi (not on twittersphere) just out: Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch butterflies https://t.co/UhBssHhZG1

Feb 24, 2021 · 26 likes · 5 shares · 757 followers View post →
lepidopapers
@lepido_papers · X

Sun compass neurons are tuned to migratory orientation in monarch butterflies https://t.co/sCeQKYj8mO

Feb 24, 2021 · 660 followers View post →