Editing Magnetoreception (section)

{{Short description|Biological ability to perceive magnetic fields}}
{{redirect|Magnetoception|the Joshua Abrams album|Magnetoception (album)}}
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[[File:Erithacus rubecula -RHS Garden Harlow Carr-8c.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Experiments on [[European robin]]s, which are [[Bird migration|migratory]], suggest their magnetic sense makes use of the quantum [[radical pair mechanism]]. ]]

'''Magnetoreception''' is a [[sense]] which allows an [[organism]] to detect the [[Earth's magnetic field]]. <!--This may enable it to perceive a compass direction and [[latitude]].--> Animals with this sense include some [[arthropod]]s, [[mollusc]]s, and [[vertebrate]]s (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). <!--Some bacteria contain magnetic particles which align them passively to magnetic fields.--> The sense is mainly used for orientation and [[animal navigation|navigation]], but it may help some animals to form regional maps. Experiments on [[Bird migration|migratory birds]] provide evidence that they make use of a [[cryptochrome]] protein in the eye, relying on the quantum [[radical pair mechanism]] to perceive magnetic fields.<!--<ref name="Hore 2016" />--> This effect is extremely sensitive to weak magnetic fields, and readily disturbed by radio-frequency interference, unlike a conventional iron compass.

Birds have iron-containing materials in their upper beaks. There is some evidence that this provides a magnetic sense, mediated by the [[trigeminal nerve]], but the mechanism is unknown.

[[Cartilaginous fish]] including [[shark]]s and [[stingray]]s can detect small variations in electric potential with their [[Electroreception|electroreceptive]] organs, the [[ampullae of Lorenzini]]. These appear to be able to detect magnetic fields by [[Electromagnetic induction|induction]]. There is some evidence that these fish use magnetic fields in navigation.