| Records |
| Author |
Merchant, H.; Fortes, A.F.; Georgopoulos, A.P. |
| Title |
Short-term memory effects on the representation of two-dimensional space in the rhesus monkey |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
7 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
133-143 |
| Keywords |
Analysis of Variance; Animals; Discrimination Learning/*physiology; Macaca mulatta; Male; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology; Mental Processes/*physiology; Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology; Space Perception/*physiology |
Abstract  |
Human subjects represent the location of a point in 2D space using two independent dimensions (x-y in Euclidean or radius-angle in polar space), and encode location in memory along these dimensions using two levels of representation: a fine-grain value and a category. Here we determined whether monkeys possessed the ability to represent location with these two levels of coding. A rhesus monkey was trained to reproduce the location of a dot in a circle by pointing, after a delay period, on the location where a dot was presented. Five different delay periods (0.5-5 s) were used. The results showed that the monkey used a polar coordinate system to represent the fine-grain spatial coding, where the radius and angle of the dots were encoded independently. The variability of the spatial response and reaction time increased with longer delays. Furthermore, the animal was able to form a categorical representation of space that was delay-dependent. The responses avoided the circumference and the center of the circle, defining a categorical radial prototype around one third of the total radial length. This radial category was observed only at delay durations of 3-5 s. Finally, the monkey also formed angular categories with prototypes at the obliques of the quadrants of the circle, avoiding the horizontal and vertical axes. However, these prototypes were only observed at the 5-s delay and on dots lying on the circumference. These results indicate that monkeys may possess spatial cognitive abilities similar to humans. |
| Address |
Brain Sciences Center (11B), Veterans Affairs Medical Center, One Veterans Drive, MN 55417, Minneapolis, USA |
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English |
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1435-9448 |
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| Notes |
PMID:14669074 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2548 |
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| Author |
Gajdon G.K.,; Fijn N.,; Huber L., |
| Title |
Testing social learning in a wild mountain parrot, the kea (Nestor notabilis) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Learning & Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Learn. Behav. |
| Volume |
32 |
Issue |
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Pages |
62-71 |
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| Abstract |
Huber, Taborsky, and Rechberger (2001) reported an experiment in which the efficiency with which captive keas opened a complex food container was increased by observation of a skilled conspecific. However, only testing social learning in free-ranging animals can demonstrate social learning in natural conditions. For that purpose, a tube-lifting paradigm was developed and tested on keas both in captivity and in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. The task was to remove a tube from an upright pole in order to gain access to a reward inside the tube. The top of the pole was higher than a standing kea, so that, to remove the tube, an individual had to simultaneously climb onto the pole and manipulate the tube up the pole with its bill. Because only 1 naive bird managed to remove a tube twice in 25 halfhour sessions and disappeared after success, another bird was trained to solve the task and to provide demonstrations for others. Even under such conditions, only 2 of at least 15 birds learned to remove the tube in 28 sessions. There was no indication that observer birds' use of bill and feet when exploring the tube changed as the number of observations of tube removal increased in a way that would, in principle, increase the likelihood of tube removal. The results suggest a dissociation of social learning potential as assessed in laboratory animals, and social transmission of foraging techniques in natural populations. |
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no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
830 |
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| Author |
Hiby, E.F.; Rooney, N.J.; Bradshaw, J.W.S. |
| Title |
Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Animal Welfare |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Welf. |
| Volume |
13 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
63-69 |
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| Abstract |
Historically, pet dogs were trained using mainly negative reinforcement or punishment, but positive reinforcement using rewards has recently become more popular. The methods used may have different impacts on the dogs� welfare. We distributed a questionnaire to 364 dog owners in order to examine the relative effectiveness of different training methods and their effects upon a pet dog�s behaviour. When asked how they trained their dog on seven basic tasks, 66% reported using vocal punishment, 12% used physical punishment, 60% praise (social reward), 51% food rewards and 11% play. The owner�s ratings for their dog�s obedience during eight tasks correlated positively with the number of tasks which they trained using rewards (P<0.01), but not using punishment (P=0.5). When asked whether their dog exhibited any of 16 common problematic behaviours, the number of problems reported by the owners correlated with the number of tasks for which their dog was trained using punishment (P<0.001), but not using rewards (P=0.17). Exhibition of problematic behaviours may be indicative of compromised welfare, because such behaviours can be caused byor result ina state of anxiety and may lead to a dog being relinquished or abandoned. Because punishment was associated with an increased incidence of problematic behaviours, we conclude that it may represent a welfare concern without concurrent benefits in obedience. We suggest that positive training methods may be more useful to the pet-owning community. |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0962-7286 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ Hiby:2004:0962-7286:63 |
Serial |
6433 |
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| Author |
Dubois, F.; Giraldeau, L.-A.; Hamilton, I.M.; Grant, J.W.A.; Lefebvre, L. |
| Title |
Distraction sneakers decrease the expected level of aggression within groups: a game-theoretic model |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
The American Naturalist |
Abbreviated Journal |
Am Nat |
| Volume |
164 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
E32-45 |
| Keywords |
*Aggression; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Columbidae/*physiology; Competitive Behavior; Cooperative Behavior; *Game Theory; Hawks/*physiology; Models, Biological |
| Abstract |
Hawk-dove games have been extensively used to predict the conditions under which group-living animals should defend their resources against potential usurpers. Typically, game-theoretic models on aggression consider that resource defense may entail energetic and injury costs. However, intruders may also take advantage of owners who are busy fighting to sneak access to unguarded resources, imposing thereby an additional cost on the use of the escalated hawk strategy. In this article we modify the two-strategy hawk-dove game into a three-strategy hawk-dove-sneaker game that incorporates a distraction-sneaking tactic, allowing us to explore its consequences on the expected level of aggression within groups. Our model predicts a lower proportion of hawks and hence lower frequencies of aggressive interactions within groups than do previous two-strategy hawk-dove games. The extent to which distraction sneakers decrease the frequency of aggression within groups, however, depends on whether they search only for opportunities to join resources uncovered by other group members or for both unchallenged resources and opportunities to usurp. |
| Address |
Departement des Sciences Biologiques, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Case postale 8888 Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada. frede_dubois@yahoo.fr |
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English |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1537-5323 |
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Medium |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:15278850 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
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Serial |
2130 |
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| Author |
Traversa, D.; Giangaspero, A.; Iorio, R.; Otranto, D.; Paoletti, B.; Gasser, R.B. |
| Title |
Semi-nested PCR for the specific detection of Habronema microstoma or Habronema muscae DNA in horse faeces |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Parasitology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Parasitology |
| Volume |
129 |
Issue |
Pt 6 |
Pages |
733-739 |
| Keywords |
Animals; DNA, Helminth/*analysis; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/*chemistry; Feces/*chemistry; Female; Horse Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology; Horses; Male; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods; Species Specificity; Spirurida Infections/diagnosis/*veterinary; Spiruroidea/*genetics |
| Abstract |
Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) are parasitic nematodes which infect the stomach and/or skin of equids. The accurate diagnosis of gastric habronemosis is central to studying its epidemiology, but data on its distribution and prevalence are lacking, mainly due to the limitations of clinical and coprological diagnosis in live horses. To overcome this constraint, a two-step, semi-nested PCR-based assay was validated (utilizing genetic markers in the nuclear ribosomal DNA) for the specific amplification of H. microstoma or H. muscae DNA from the faeces from horses (n = 46) whose gastrointestinal parasite status had been determined at autopsy and whose faeces were examined previously using a conventional parasitological approach. Of these horses examined at autopsy, some harboured adults of either H. microstoma (n= 19) or H. muscae (n =4), and others (n = 7) harboured both species. Most of them were also infected with other parasites, including strongylid nematodes (subfamilies Cyathostominae and Strongylinae), bots and/or cestodes; there was no evidence of metazoan parasites in 2 horses. Larvated spirurid eggs were detected in the faeces of 1 of the 30 horses (3.3 %) shown to be infected with Habronema at autopsy. For this set of 46 samples, the PCR assay achieved a diagnostic specificity of 100 % and a sensitivity of approximately 97 % (being able to specifically detect as little as approximately 0.02 fg of Habronema DNA). The specificity of the assay was also tested using a panel of control DNA samples representing horse, the gastric spirurid Draschia megastoma and 26 other species of parasites from the alimentary tract of the horse. H. microstoma, H. muscae and D. megastoma could be readily differentiated from one another based on the sizes of their specific amplicons in the PCR. The results of this study showed that the performance of the PCR for the diagnosis of gastric habronemosis was similar to that of autopsy but substantially better than the traditional coprological examination procedure used. The ability to specifically diagnose gastric habronemosis in equids should have important implications for investigating the epidemiology and ecology of H. microstoma and H. muscae. |
| Address |
Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy. traversa@unite.it |
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English |
Summary Language |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0031-1820 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:15648696 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2631 |
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| Author |
Baldi, R.; Pelliza-Sbriller, A.; Elston, D.; Albon, S. |
| Title |
High Potential For Competition Between Guanacos And Sheep In Patagonia |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Journal of Wildlife Management |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
68 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
924-938 |
| Keywords |
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| Abstract |
Guanacos (Lama guanicoe) are the largest native Artiodactyl in South America and the most widely distributed. In arid Patagonia, densities are low and negatively related to domestic sheep numbers in space and time consistent with interspecific competition theory. Although guanacos and domestic sheep have been described as intermediate feeders sharing food resources, no studies have been conducted to compare their diets in sympatric conditions and explore whether the potential exists for direct interspecific competition. We assessed the diet of both species across 9 different sites and 2 seasons by microhistological analysis of fecal samples. We found that (1) guanacos and sheep are generalist herbivores feeding on a wide range of plant species; (2) both are intermediate feeders able to include both monocotyledoneous and dicotyledoneous plants in their diet; (3) both are able to change their diets seasonally; and (4) food niche overlap is high, particularly in summer when food resources are more scarce than in spring. We conclude that the potential for competition between guanacos and sheep is high and could have played a major role in the demise of guanacos. Consequently, current management practices focused on maximizing sheep numbers are not compatible with the recovery of guanaco populations. |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4253 |
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Gauvin, S.; Giraldeau, L.-A. |
| Title |
Nutmeg mannikins ( Lonchura punctulata) reduce their feeding rates in response to simulated competition |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Oecologia |
Abbreviated Journal |
Oecologia |
| Volume |
139 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
150-156 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Feeding Behavior; Population Density; *Social Behavior; *Songbirds |
| Abstract |
Group feeding animals experience a number of competitive foraging costs that may result in a lowered feeding rate. It is important to distinguish between reductions in feeding rates that are caused by reduced food availability and physical interactions among foragers from those caused by the mere presence of foraging companions that may be self-imposed in order to obtain some benefit of group membership. Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) reduce their feeding rates when in the company of simulated competitors located in an adjacent cage that cannot affect the food availability or interact with the forager. In the present study, we investigate whether the presence of simulated competitors in another species of passerine, nutmeg mannikins ( Lonchura punctulata), can result in self-imposed reductions in feeding rates. When feeding in the company of simulated competitors, mannikins spent more non-foraging time near them, fed more slowly, reduced travel times between patches, reduced their scanning time and pecked more slowly. These results provide evidence that simulated competitors induce a reduction in pecking rate: behavioural interference. These self-imposed responses to competitors may have resulted from attempts to remain close to the non-feeding companions. Such self-imposed reductions in feeding rates may be a widespread yet generally unrecognised foraging cost to group feeding individuals. |
| Address |
Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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English |
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0029-8549 |
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| Notes |
PMID:14722748 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
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Serial |
2133 |
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| Author |
Traversa, D.; Giangaspero, A.; Galli, P.; Paoletti, B.; Otranto, D.; Gasser, R.B. |
| Title |
Specific identification of Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida, Habronematidae) by PCR using markers in ribosomal DNA |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Molecular and Cellular Probes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Mol Cell Probes |
| Volume |
18 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
215-221 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Base Sequence; DNA, Ribosomal/blood/*genetics; Feces/parasitology; Genetic Markers; Horses/*parasitology; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscidae/*genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Spirurida Infections/genetics; Spiruroidea/*genetics; Stomach/*parasitology |
| Abstract |
Gastric or cutaneous habronemosis caused by Habronema microstoma Creplin, 1849 and Habronema muscae Carter, 1865 is a parasitic disease of equids transmitted by muscid flies. There is a paucity of information on the epidemiology of this disease, which is mainly due to limitations with diagnosis in the live animal and with the identification of the parasites in the intermediate hosts. To overcome such limitations, a molecular approach, based on the use of genetic markers in the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA, was established for the two species of Habronema. Characterisation of the ITS-2 revealed sequence lengths and G+C contents of 296 bp and 29.5% for H. microstoma, and of 334 bp and 35.9% for H. muscae, respectively. Exploiting the sequence difference (approximately 40%) between the two species of nematode, primers were designed and tested by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for their specificity using a panel of control DNA samples from common equid endoparasites, and from host tissues, faeces or muscid flies. Effective amplification from each of the two species of Habronema was achieved from as little as 10 pg of genomic DNA. Hence, this molecular approach allows the specific identification and differentiation of the DNA from H. microstoma and H. muscae, and could thus provide a molecular tool for the specific detection of Habronema DNA (irrespective of developmental stage) from faeces, skin and muscid fly samples. The establishment of this tool has important implications for the specific diagnosis of clinical cases of gastric and cutaneous habronemosis in equids, and for studying the ecology and epidemiology of the two species of Habronema. |
| Address |
Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy |
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English |
Summary Language |
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0890-8508 |
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| Notes |
PMID:15271381 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2634 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
“Insightful” string-pulling in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) is affected by vocal competence |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
7 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
263-266 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Association Learning; *Discrimination Learning; Humans; Male; *Parrots; *Problem Solving; Verbal Behavior; Verbal Learning; *Vocalization, Animal |
| Abstract |
Four Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were tested on their ability to obtain an item suspended from a string such that mutiple, repeated, coordinated beak-foot actions were required for success (e.g., Heinrich 1995). Those birds with little training in referential English requests (e.g. “I want X”) succeeded, whereas birds who could request the suspended item failed to obtain the object but engaged in repeated requesting. |
| Address |
MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Bldg 7-231, 77 Massachusetts Ave, MA 02139, Cambridge, USA. impepper@media.mit.edu |
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English |
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1435-9448 |
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| Notes |
PMID:15045620 |
Approved |
no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2537 |
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Emery, N.J.; Dally, J.M.; Clayton, N.S. |
| Title |
Western scrub-jays ( Aphelocoma californica) use cognitive strategies to protect their caches from thieving conspecifics |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
7 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
37-43 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Birds/*physiology; Feeding Behavior/*physiology; Female; *Food; Male; *Memory |
| Abstract |
Food caching birds hide food and recover the caches when supplies are less abundant. There is, however, a risk to this strategy because the caches are susceptible to pilfering by others. Corvids use a number of different strategies to reduce possible cache theft. Scrub-jays with previous experience of pilfering other's caches cached worms in two visuospatially distinct caching trays either in private or in the presence of a conspecific. When these storers had cached in private, they subsequently observed both trays out of reach of a conspecific. When these storers had cached in the presence of a conspecific, they subsequently watched the observer pilfering from one of the trays while the other tray was placed in full view, but out of reach. The storers were then allowed to recover the remaining caches 3 h later. Jays cached more worms when they were observed during caching. At the time of recovery, they re-cached more than if they had cached in private, selectively re-caching outside of the trays in sites unbeknown to potential thieves. In addition, after a single pilfering trial, the jays switched their recovery strategy from predominantly checking their caches (i.e. returning to a cache site to see whether the food remained there) to predominantly eating them. Re-caching remained constant across the three trials. These results suggest that scrub-jays use flexible, cognitive caching and recovery strategies to aid in reducing potential future pilfering of caches by conspecifics. |
| Address |
Sub-department of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, High Street, CB3 8AA Madingley, Cambs, UK. nje23@cam.ac.uk |
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English |
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1435-9448 |
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| Notes |
PMID:12827547 |
Approved |
no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2566 |
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