Sensitivity to magnetic field in Mexican Cavefish

This thesis deals with the detection of magnetic field perception of cavefishes the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus). The experiments were carried out in a plus-shaped maze where the direction preference in the individual arms of this maze was studied both in the natural Earth´s magnetic field and in the modified one by using magnets and turning the north-south axis by 90°. The reactions of the specimen on placing a strong magnet close behind the end of the western and later also the eastern arm of the plus-shaped maze were also monitored. It was conclusively found that the Mexican tetra prefer north-south axis. However, after turning the magnetic field by 90° there was no preference of the specimen for the new north-south axis as we expected. Although some of the tests performed here show the perceptiveness of magnetic field of the Mexican tetra and their preference for the noth-south axis, other tests disprove the formulated hypothesis. That is why other new hypotheses about the perceptiveness of the magnetic field should be created so that they could not be disproved in either case. This thesis has served as a stepping stone for further research in the field of magnetoreception of cavefishes