Directionality in the trail‐following response of the pulmonate limpet Siphonaria alternata

Abstract

In the laboratory the homing limpet Siphonaria alternata follows its mucous trails toward the origins of the trails more often than would be expected if directional choice were random, under conditions which eliminate the use of clues external to the trails in this choice. Similar behavior occurs in field experiments; animals used for experiments both before and after completing outbound paths prefer to turn and follow the paths in the direction of their “home scars”;. An innate asymmetrical turning tendency cannot be used to explain this directional choice.