Landmark learning by the Ozark zigzag salamander Plethodon angusticlavius

Although salamanders have been shown to respond to classical conditioning, spatial learning has been largely unstudied. We tested whether salamanders could learn to locate foraging areas by using landmarks. We trained 10 salamanders Plethodon angusticlavius to use landmarks （small rocks） to locate p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCurrent zoology Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 485 - 490
Main Authors Crane, Adam L., Mathis, Alicia
Format Journal Article
LanguageChinese
English
Published Oxford, Uk Oxford University Press 01.08.2011
Subjects
Beacon
Chemical stimuli
Classical conditioning
Landmark learning
Plethodon angusticlavius
Prey
Reptiles & amphibians
Salamander learning
Spatial discrimination learning
Spatial learning
Visual stimuli
化学信号
娃娃鱼
对照组
测试过程
空间学习
里程
锯齿
随机选择
Beacon
Landmark learning
Spatial learning
Salamander learning
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Summary:Although salamanders have been shown to respond to classical conditioning, spatial learning has been largely unstudied. We tested whether salamanders could learn to locate foraging areas by using landmarks. We trained 10 salamanders Plethodon angusticlavius to use landmarks （small rocks） to locate patches within the arena containing food （blackworms Lumbriculus variegatus）. At the comers of each square testing arena were four plastic dishes, one containing blackworms and the other three empty. A rock was placed in front of the dish containing blackworms, and the location of the food-dish was randomly chosen for each training trial. A control group was also trained to feed on blackworms in the presence of a rock, but the rock was positioned randomly among the four dish locations so that the rock was not a reliable landmark for the worms. Although the length of the training period for individual salamanders varied （22-38 trainings per individual）, the mean number of trainings for salamanders in the control and experimental groups was equal （30 training trials）. During testing, no blackworms were present to eliminate any visual or chemical cues emanating directly from the prey. Individuals trained with the rock landmarks spent sig- nificantly more time in the area of the landmark than did control salamanders [Current Zoology 57 （4）： 485-490, 2011].
Bibliography:11-5794/Q
Landmark learning, Spatial learning, Salamander learning, Plethodon angusticlavius, Beacon
Although salamanders have been shown to respond to classical conditioning, spatial learning has been largely unstudied. We tested whether salamanders could learn to locate foraging areas by using landmarks. We trained 10 salamanders Plethodon angusticlavius to use landmarks （small rocks） to locate patches within the arena containing food （blackworms Lumbriculus variegatus）. At the comers of each square testing arena were four plastic dishes, one containing blackworms and the other three empty. A rock was placed in front of the dish containing blackworms, and the location of the food-dish was randomly chosen for each training trial. A control group was also trained to feed on blackworms in the presence of a rock, but the rock was positioned randomly among the four dish locations so that the rock was not a reliable landmark for the worms. Although the length of the training period for individual salamanders varied （22-38 trainings per individual）, the mean number of trainings for salamanders in the control and experimental groups was equal （30 training trials）. During testing, no blackworms were present to eliminate any visual or chemical cues emanating directly from the prey. Individuals trained with the rock landmarks spent sig- nificantly more time in the area of the landmark than did control salamanders [Current Zoology 57 （4）： 485-490, 2011].
ISSN:1674-5507
2396-9814
DOI:10.1093/czoolo/57.4.485