Habituation to a predatory stimulus in a harvester (Arachnida, Opiliones)
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):21. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01857-7.ABSTRACTSeveral studies have investigated habituation in a defensive context, but few have addressed responses to dangerous stimuli. In such cases, animals should not habituate since this could cost their lives. Here we have stimulated individuals of the harvester Mischonyx squalidus with a predatory stimulus (squeezing with tweezers) in repeated trials within and between days, and measured the occurrence and magnitude of nipping, a defensive behavior. Contrary to our expectations, they did habituate to this stimulus. The probability and magnitude of response ...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Guilherme Ferreira Pagoti Jerry A Hogan Rodrigo Hirata Willemart Source Type: research
Metacognition in wild Japanese macaques: cost and stakes influencing information-seeking behavior
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):22. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01851-z.ABSTRACTMetacognition allows us to evaluate memories and knowledge, thus enabling us to distinguish between what we know and what we do not. Studies have shown that species other than humans may possess similar abilities. However, the number of species tested was limited. Testing ten free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on a task in which they had to find food hidden inside one of the four opaque tubes, we investigated whether these subjects would seek information when needed. The monkeys could look inside the tubes before selecting one. We varied t...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Lorraine Subias Noriko Katsu Kazunori Yamada Source Type: research
Maze runners: monkeys show restricted Arabic numeral summation during computerized two-arm maze performance
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 6;27(1):23. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01853-x.ABSTRACTMazes have been used in many forms to provide compelling results showcasing nonhuman animals' capacities for spatial navigation, planning, and numerical competence. The current study presented computerized two-arm mazes to four rhesus macaques. Using these mazes, we assessed whether the monkeys could maximize rewards by overcoming mild delays in gratification and sum the values of Arabic numerals. Across four test phases, monkeys used a joystick controller to choose one of two maze arms on the screen. Each maze arm contained zero, one or two Arabic num...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Elizabeth L Haseltine Michael J Beran Source Type: research
Habituation to a predatory stimulus in a harvester (Arachnida, Opiliones)
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):21. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01857-7.ABSTRACTSeveral studies have investigated habituation in a defensive context, but few have addressed responses to dangerous stimuli. In such cases, animals should not habituate since this could cost their lives. Here we have stimulated individuals of the harvester Mischonyx squalidus with a predatory stimulus (squeezing with tweezers) in repeated trials within and between days, and measured the occurrence and magnitude of nipping, a defensive behavior. Contrary to our expectations, they did habituate to this stimulus. The probability and magnitude of response ...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Guilherme Ferreira Pagoti Jerry A Hogan Rodrigo Hirata Willemart Source Type: research
Metacognition in wild Japanese macaques: cost and stakes influencing information-seeking behavior
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):22. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01851-z.ABSTRACTMetacognition allows us to evaluate memories and knowledge, thus enabling us to distinguish between what we know and what we do not. Studies have shown that species other than humans may possess similar abilities. However, the number of species tested was limited. Testing ten free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on a task in which they had to find food hidden inside one of the four opaque tubes, we investigated whether these subjects would seek information when needed. The monkeys could look inside the tubes before selecting one. We varied t...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Lorraine Subias Noriko Katsu Kazunori Yamada Source Type: research
Maze runners: monkeys show restricted Arabic numeral summation during computerized two-arm maze performance
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 6;27(1):23. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01853-x.ABSTRACTMazes have been used in many forms to provide compelling results showcasing nonhuman animals' capacities for spatial navigation, planning, and numerical competence. The current study presented computerized two-arm mazes to four rhesus macaques. Using these mazes, we assessed whether the monkeys could maximize rewards by overcoming mild delays in gratification and sum the values of Arabic numerals. Across four test phases, monkeys used a joystick controller to choose one of two maze arms on the screen. Each maze arm contained zero, one or two Arabic num...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Elizabeth L Haseltine Michael J Beran Source Type: research
Habituation to a predatory stimulus in a harvester (Arachnida, Opiliones)
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):21. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01857-7.ABSTRACTSeveral studies have investigated habituation in a defensive context, but few have addressed responses to dangerous stimuli. In such cases, animals should not habituate since this could cost their lives. Here we have stimulated individuals of the harvester Mischonyx squalidus with a predatory stimulus (squeezing with tweezers) in repeated trials within and between days, and measured the occurrence and magnitude of nipping, a defensive behavior. Contrary to our expectations, they did habituate to this stimulus. The probability and magnitude of response ...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Guilherme Ferreira Pagoti Jerry A Hogan Rodrigo Hirata Willemart Source Type: research
Metacognition in wild Japanese macaques: cost and stakes influencing information-seeking behavior
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 5;27(1):22. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01851-z.ABSTRACTMetacognition allows us to evaluate memories and knowledge, thus enabling us to distinguish between what we know and what we do not. Studies have shown that species other than humans may possess similar abilities. However, the number of species tested was limited. Testing ten free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on a task in which they had to find food hidden inside one of the four opaque tubes, we investigated whether these subjects would seek information when needed. The monkeys could look inside the tubes before selecting one. We varied t...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 5, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Lorraine Subias Noriko Katsu Kazunori Yamada Source Type: research
On the value of advanced information about delayed rewards
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 2;27(1):10. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01856-8.ABSTRACTIn a variety of laboratory preparations, several animal species prefer signaled over unsignaled outcomes. Here we examine whether pigeons prefer options that signal the delay to reward over options that do not and how this preference changes with the ratio of the delays. We offered pigeons repeated choices between two alternatives leading to a short or a long delay to reward. For one alternative (informative), the short and long delays were reliably signaled by different stimuli (e.g., SS for short delays, SL for long delays). For the other (non-inform...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Alejandro Mac ías Armando Machado Marco Vasconcelos Source Type: research
Responses to novelty in wild insular birds: comparing breeding populations in ecologically contrasting habitats
In this study, we presented novel objects to two geographically isolated breeding populations of the black-faced sheathbill (Chionis minor), a sedentary land-based bird that frequents remote sub-Antarctic islands. In the first population (Chionis minor ssp. crozettensis), the "Crozet group" (Baie du Marin, Ile de la Possession, Crozet Islands), breeding pairs inhabit a variable habitat close to penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) colonies. In the second population (Chionis minor ssp. minor), the "Kerguelen group" (île Verte, Morbihan gulf, Kerguelen Islands) breeding pairs live in penguin-free territories. In this latter po...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Samara Danel Nancy Rebout L éna Bureau Timoth ée Zidat Dora Biro Francesco Bonadonna Source Type: research
Recognizing structure in novel tunes: differences between human and rats
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 2;27(1):17. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01848-8.ABSTRACTA central feature in music is the hierarchical organization of its components. Musical pieces are not a simple concatenation of chords, but are characterized by rhythmic and harmonic structures. Here, we explore if sensitivity to music structure might emerge in the absence of any experience with musical stimuli. For this, we tested if rats detect the difference between structured and unstructured musical excerpts and compared their performance with that of humans. Structured melodies were excerpts of Mozart's sonatas. Unstructured melodies were created...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Paola Crespo-Bojorque Elodie Cauvet Christophe Pallier Juan M Toro Source Type: research
The proximate regulation of prosocial behaviour: towards a conceptual framework for comparative research
Anim Cogn. 2024 Mar 2;27(1):5. doi: 10.1007/s10071-024-01846-w.ABSTRACTHumans and many other animal species act in ways that benefit others. Such prosocial behaviour has been studied extensively across a range of disciplines over the last decades, but findings to date have led to conflicting conclusions about prosociality across and even within species. Here, we present a conceptual framework to study the proximate regulation of prosocial behaviour in humans, non-human primates and potentially other animals. We build on psychological definitions of prosociality and spell out three key features that need to be in place for ...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Kathrin S Kopp Patricia Kanngiesser Rahel K Br ügger Moritz M Daum Anja Gampe Moritz K öster Carel P van Schaik Katja Liebal Judith M Burkart Source Type: research
A first exploratory comparison of the behaviour of wolves (Canis lupus) and wolf-dog hybrids in captivity
In this study, we conducted a first systematic comparison of admixed (N = 11) and non-admixed (N = 14) wolves in captivity, focusing on their reaction to unfamiliar humans and novel objects, and the cohesiveness of their social groups. When exposed to unfamiliar humans in the experimental task, wolves were more vigilant, fearful and aggressive than admixed wolves, and less likely to approach humans, but also more likely to spend time in human proximity. When exposed to novel objects, wolves were more aggressive than admixed wolves, less likely to spend time in object proximity, and more likely to interact with objects, but...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Federica Amici Simone Meacci Emmeline Caray Linda O ña Katja Liebal Paolo Ciucci Source Type: research
Gestural communication in wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi)
In this study, we provide a first assessment of the gestural systems of a Platyrrhine species, Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We observed a wild group of 52 spider monkeys and assessed the distribution of visual and tactile gestures in the group, the size of individual repertoires and the intentionality and effectiveness of individuals' gestural production. Our results showed that younger spider monkeys were more likely than older ones to use tactile gestures. In contrast, we found no inter-individual differences in the probability of producing visual gestures. Repertoire size did not vary with age, but the ...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Felipe Villa-Larenas Miquel Llorente Katja Liebal Federica Amici Source Type: research
Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) create facial displays during social interactions by changing the shape of their melons
This study of belugas in professionally managed care aimed to establish an ethogram for the repertoire of categorizable melon shapes and then evaluate their potential function as intentional communication signals by determining if they were produced and elaborated during social interactions of varying behavioral contexts while in the line of sight of a recipient. Five different melon shapes were reliably identified in video observations of the primary study population (n = 4) and externally validated in a second aquarium population (n = 51). Among the 2570 melon shapes observed from the primary study subjects, melon shapes...
Source: Animal Cognition - March 1, 2024 Category: Zoology Authors: Justin T Richard Isabelle Pellegrini Rachael Levine Source Type: research
