Larval antlions with more pronounced behavioural asymmetry show enhanced cognitive skills

• Published in: Biology letters (2005) Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 20160786
• Main Authors: Miler, Krzysztof, Kuszewska, Karolina, Woyciechowski, Michał
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 01.02.2017; The Royal Society Publishing
• Subjects: Animal Behaviour; Animals; Antlion; Ants; Association Learning - physiology; Asymmetry; Behavioural Asymmetry; Brain; Brain Lateralization; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition - physiology; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Skills; Data processing; Functional Laterality; Hemispheric laterality; Information processing; Insecta - physiology; Larva - physiology; Larvae; Movement; Myrmeleon; Predatory Behavior; Righting Behaviour; Myrmeleon bore; righting behaviour; behavioural asymmetry; brain lateralization; antlion; cognitive skills
• ISSN: 1744-9561; 1744-957X
• DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0786

Brain lateralization is hypothesized to improve the efficiency of information processing. Here, we found that some Myrmeleon bore antlion larvae showed individual asymmetry in righting from a supine to normal position over one side of their body, which can be considered a reflection of greater brain lateralization. We demonstrated that these behaviourally asymmetrical individuals showed improved learning abilities, providing novel evidence that brain lateralization leads to beneficial effects on cognitive functions.