Retraction - Monarch Butterfly Scientific Paper

[Donald Davis]

Forwarded by Don Davis, Toronto, ON:

>From Science Week June 2,2000

MONARCH BUTTERFLY MAGNETIC COMPASS PAPER RETRACTED
      This is a cautionary tale, an example of how the
extraordinary complexity of biological organisms, systems whose
operating variables are often unknown, can lead researchers
astray. In November 1999, a research team (4 authors at the
University of Kansas Lawrence, US) reported that fall migratory
monarch butterflies, tested for their directional responses to
magnetic cues under three conditions, amagnetic, normal, and
reversed magnetic fields, showed three distinct patterns: In the
absence of a magnetic field, monarchs lacked directionality as a
group; in the normal magnetic field, monarchs oriented to the
southwest with a group pattern typical for migrants; when the
horizontal component of the magnetic field was reversed, the
butterflies oriented to the northeast. In contrast, nonmigratory
monarchs lacked directionality in the normal magnetic field. The
authors suggested the results were "a direct demonstration of
magnetic compass orientation in migratory insects."
      Four months later, in March 2000, the authors retracted
their paper, noting the following: "The positive response to
magnetic fields in two experiments cannot be repeated. Further
experiments show the false positives in these tests result from a
positive [directionality of movement (taxis)] by the butterflies
to the light reflected off the clothing of the observers. We
therefore retract our report. We regret the inconvenience that
publication of this study may have caused."
      The Editors of ScienceWeek extend their compliments to the
authors for their prompt retraction, an effort made in the
interest of the science community, and a salient example of good
science.
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J.A. Etheredge et al: Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus L.)
use a magnetic compass for navigation.
(Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. US 23 Nov 99 96:13845)
QY: Orley R. Taylor [monarch at ukans.edu]
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J.A. Etheredge et al: Retraction
(Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. US 28 Mar 00 97:3782)
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Summary by SCIENCE-WEEK http://scienceweek.com 2Jun00