The orientation of the sandhopper Talitrus saltator during a partial solar eclipse.

To acquire more information about the identification and use of the sun and other celestial cues in the sea-land orientation of the sandhopper Talitrus saltator, we carried out releases in a confined environment during a partial solar eclipse and at sunset. The sandhoppers were unable to identify the sun (86% covered) during the eclipse nor to use other celestial compass factors of orientation. This was probably due to the low level of light intensity (close to the minimum level for orientation recorded at sunset) and to the variations in intensity and pattern of skylight polarization.