| Records |
| Author |
Agrillo, C.; Dadda, M.; Bisazza, A. |
| Title |
Quantity discrimination in female mosquitofish |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
10 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages  |
63-70 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Cognition; *Cyprinodontiformes; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Male; Mathematics; *Pattern Recognition, Visual |
| Abstract |
The ability in animals to count and represent different numbers of objects has received a great deal of attention in the past few decades. Cumulative evidence from comparative studies on number discriminations report obvious analogies among human babies, non-human primates and birds and are consistent with the hypothesis of two distinct and widespread mechanisms, one for counting small numbers (<4) precisely, and one for quantifying large numbers approximately. We investigated the ability to discriminate among different numerosities, in a distantly related species, the mosquitofish, by using the spontaneous choice of a gravid female to join large groups of females as protection from a sexually harassing male. In one experiment, we found that females were able to discriminate between two shoals with a 1:2 numerosity ratio (2 vs. 4, 4 vs. 8 and 8 vs. 16 fish) but failed to discriminate a 2:3 ratio (8 vs. 12 fish). In the second experiment, we studied the ability to discriminate between shoals that differed by one element; females were able to select the larger shoal when the paired numbers were 2 vs. 3 or 3 vs. 4 but not 4 vs. 5 or 5 vs. 6. Our study indicates that numerical abilities in fish are comparable with those of other non-verbal creatures studied; results are in agreement with the hypothesis of the existence of two distinct systems for quantity discrimination in vertebrates. |
| Address |
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy. christian.agrillo@unipd.it |
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English |
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1435-9448 |
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| Notes |
PMID:16868736 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
339 |
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| Author |
Heinrich, B.; Bugnyar, T. |
| Title |
Just how smart are ravens? |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Scientific American |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sci Am |
| Volume |
296 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
64-71 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Crows/*physiology; Environment; *Intelligence; Predatory Behavior; Problem Solving; Thinking |
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| Address |
University of Vermont, USA |
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English |
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0036-8733 |
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| Notes |
PMID:17479632 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4101 |
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| Author |
Hanggi, E.B.; Ingersoll, J.F.; Waggoner, T.L. |
| Title |
Color vision in horses (Equus caballus): deficiencies identified using a pseudoisochromatic plate test |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Comp. Psychol. |
| Volume |
121 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
65-72 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Appetitive Behavior; *Color Perception; Color Perception Tests/veterinary; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Horses/*psychology; Male; Sensitivity and Specificity |
| Abstract |
In the past, equine color vision was tested with stimuli composed either of painted cards or photographic slides or through physiological testing using electroretinogram flicker photometry. Some studies produced similar results, but others did not, demonstrating that there was not yet a definitive answer regarding color vision in horses (Equus caballus). In this study, a pseudoisochromatic plate test--which is highly effective in testing color vision both in small children and in adult humans--was used for the first time on a nonhuman animal. Stimuli consisted of different colored dotted circles set against backgrounds of varying dots. The coloration of the circles corresponded to the visual capabilities of different types of color deficiencies (anomalous trichromacy and dichromacy). Four horses were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task. All horses successfully reached criterion for gray circles and demonstration circles. None of the horses were able to discriminate the protan-deutan plate or the individual protan or deutan plates. However, all were able to discriminate the tritan plate. The results suggest that horses are dichromats with color vision capabilities similar to those of humans with red-green color deficiencies. |
| Address |
Equine Research Foundation, Aptos, CA 95001, USA. EquiResF@aol.com |
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English |
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| ISSN |
0735-7036 |
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| Notes |
PMID:17324076 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ ; Equine Behaviour @ team @ room B 3.029 |
Serial |
1972 |
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| Author |
Muller, C.E.; Uden, P. |
| Title |
Preference of horses for grass conserved as hay, haylage or silage |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Feed Science and Technology |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
132 |
Issue |
1-2 |
Pages |
66-78 |
| Keywords |
Horse; Preference; Silage; Haylage; Hay |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this experiment was to determine if different methods of forage conservation influenced horse preference for conserved forages. Silage, haylage with two different dry matter (DM) levels and hay was produced from the same grass crop at the same botanical maturity stage. Four horses were simultaneously offered the four forages (1 kg DM of each forage) once daily for four consecutive experimental periods, each period consisting of 5 days. On each experimental day, the horses were observed for 2 h and their first choice, eating time and forage consumption was registered for every forage. The number of times each horse depleted individual forages and the number of times each horse tasted or smelled a forage, but left it in favour of another forage, was also recorded. Silage had the highest rate of consumption (0.90 kg DM/day, S.D. 0.14) and longest eating time (28.4 min/day, S.D. 5.16). Hay had the lowest rate of consumption (0.23 kg DM/day, S.D. 0.14) and shortest eating time (6.8 min/day, S.D. 4.08), while the haylages were intermediate. Silage was the first choice 72 of 84 times (85%). Hay was never completely consumed and silage was never left in favour of another forage after smelling or tasting it. We conclude that the forage conservation methods had an impact on horse preference in favour of silage, even if the reason for silage preference remains to be explained. |
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no |
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Admin @ knut @ |
Serial |
4353 |
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| Author |
Ward, C.; Smuts, B.B. |
| Title |
Quantity-based judgments in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
10 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
71-80 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Choice Behavior; Dogs; Female; Food; Male; *Size Perception |
| Abstract |
We examined the ability of domestic dogs to choose the larger versus smaller quantity of food in two experiments. In experiment 1, we investigated the ability of 29 dogs (results from 18 dogs were used in the data analysis) to discriminate between two quantities of food presented in eight different combinations. Choices were simultaneously presented and visually available at the time of choice. Overall, subjects chose the larger quantity more often than the smaller quantity, but they found numerically close comparisons more difficult. In experiment 2, we tested two dogs from experiment 1 under three conditions. In condition 1, we used similar methods from experiment 1 and tested the dogs multiple times on the eight combinations from experiment 1 plus one additional combination. In conditions 2 and 3, the food was visually unavailable to the subjects at the time of choice, but in condition 2, food choices were viewed simultaneously before being made visually unavailable, and in condition 3, they were viewed successively. In these last two conditions, and especially in condition 3, the dogs had to keep track of quantities mentally in order to choose optimally. Subjects still chose the larger quantity more often than the smaller quantity when the food was not simultaneously visible at the time of choice. Olfactory cues and inadvertent cuing by the experimenter were excluded as mechanisms for choosing larger quantities. The results suggest that, like apes tested on similar tasks, some dogs can form internal representations and make mental comparisons of quantity. |
| Address |
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 1012 East Hall, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA. rameses@unich.edu |
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English |
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Edition |
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1435-9448 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:16941158 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2440 |
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| Author |
Versace, E.; Morgante, M.; Pulina, G.; Vallortigara, G. |
| Title |
Behavioural lateralization in sheep (Ovis aries) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Behavioural Brain Research |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Brain. Res. |
| Volume |
184 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
72-80 |
| Keywords |
Lateralization; Laterality; Brain asymmetry; Hemisphere; Sheep; Lamb; Strength of lateralization |
| Abstract |
This study investigates behavioural lateralization in sheep and lambs of different ages. A flock was tested in a task in which the animals were facing an obstacle and should avoid it on either the right or left side to rejoin flock-mates (adult sheep) or their mothers (lambs). A bias for avoiding the obstacle on the right side was observed, with lambs apparently being more lateralized than sheep. This right bias was tentatively associated with the left-hemifield laterality in familiar faces recognition which has been documented in this species. Differences between adult sheep and lambs were likely to be due to differences in social reinstatement motivation elicited by different stimuli (flock-mates or mothers) at different ages. Preferential use of the forelegs to step on a wood-board and direction of jaw movement during rumination was also tested in adult animals. No population bias nor individual-level lateralization was observed for use of the forelegs. At the same time, however, there was a large number of animals showing individual-level lateralization for the direction of jaw movement during rumination even though there was no population bias. These findings highlight that within the same species individual- and population-level lateralization can be observed in different tasks. Moreover, the results fit the general hypothesis that population-level asymmetries are more likely to occur in tasks that require social coordination among behaviourally asymmetric individuals. |
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| ISSN |
0166-4328 |
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Approved |
no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
6701 |
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| Author |
Rapin, V.; Poncet, P.A.; Burger, D.; Mermod, C.; Richard, M.A. |
| Title |
[Measurement of the attention time in the horse] |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde |
Abbreviated Journal |
Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd |
| Volume |
149 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
77-83 |
| Keywords |
Age Factors; Animals; *Attention/physiology; Conditioning, Operant; Cross-Over Studies; Female; Horses/*physiology; Learning/*physiology; Male; Memory/*physiology; Time Factors |
| Abstract |
A study carried out on 49 horses showed that it is possible to measure the attention time by operant conditioning. After teaching horses an instrumental task using a signal, we were then able to test their attention time by asking them to prolong it increasingly while setting success and failure criteria. Two tests were performed 3 weeks apart. The 2nd test was feasible without relearning, a proof of memory, and was repeatable, a proof of consistency in the attention time. A significant difference was observed between the 3 age groups. Young horses often performed very well during the 1st test but their attention dropped in the 2nd test while older horses were more stable with respect to attention and even increased it slightly. The study shows that there are individual differences but it was not possible to prove a significant influence of breed, gender and paternal influence. Consequently, learning appears to be one of the most interesting approaches for evaluating the attention of horses and for observing their behaviour. |
| Address |
Laboratoire d'Ecoethologie, Universite de Neuchatel, Suisse. veronique.rapin@unine.ch |
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French |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
Mesure de la duree d'attention chez le cheval |
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0036-7281 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:17343134 |
Approved |
no |
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Serial |
1770 |
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Momozawa, Y.; Takeuchi, Y.; Tozaki, T.; Kikusui, T.; Hasegawa, T.; Raudsepp, T.; Chowdhary, B.P.; Kusunose, R.; Mori, Y. |
| Title |
SNP detection and radiation hybrid mapping in horses of nine candidate genes for temperament |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Genetics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim Genet |
| Volume |
38 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
81-83 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Breeding; Horses/*genetics/physiology; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Radiation Hybrid Mapping; *Temperament |
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| Address |
Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan |
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English |
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| ISSN |
0268-9146 |
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| Notes |
PMID:17257195 |
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no |
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Serial |
1834 |
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Parejo, D.; Aviles, J.M. |
| Title |
Do avian brood parasites eavesdrop on heterospecific sexual signals revealing host quality? A review of the evidence |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
81-88 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Birds/*parasitology/*physiology; *Host-Parasite Relations; *Nesting Behavior |
| Abstract |
Eavesdropping can be defined as the extraction of information from the interactions between other individuals. It provides a relatively cheap way of gathering relevant information for fitness enhancement. Here, we propose that obligate avian brood parasites, which always lay their eggs in foreign nests of individuals of other species, may eavesdrop on their host sexual signals to locate nests of high quality individuals in which to lay their parasitic eggs. Sexual signal variation can honestly signal parental quality. Thus, by eavesdropping on sexual signals, parasites may select high quality foster parents for their own offspring. Such a use of sexual signals within host populations by brood parasites differs from signal exploitation theory that proposes that parasite only use signals to locate potential host independently from signaller quality. Here, we review the avian literature concerning host choice within a host species by obligate avian brood parasites and find evidence for host selection within individuals of a host species on the basis of cues potentially functioning as sexually selected traits, or at least revealing parental abilities. We have also found support for the existence of benefits linked to host selection by avian brood parasites. Finally, one study reported on the attenuation of a sexual ornament in host populations under strong pressure by brood parasites. Most of these findings have been interpreted as evidence for host selection by avian brood parasites based on the conspicuousness of sexual signals. We suggest, however, that these findings may in fact reveal eavesdropping on host signalling performance by brood parasites which would use the information extracted to choose the better individuals among conspecifics of a given host. This provides a new perspective for the study of host selection in obligate brood parasites, and raises interesting questions for the study of animal cognition that would deserve experimental studies. |
| Address |
Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Estacion Experimental de Zonas Aridas, C.S.I.C. C/General Segura 1, 04001, Almeria, Spain. parejo@eeza.csic.es |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17180699 |
Approved |
no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2426 |
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Ducro, B.J.; Koenen, E.P.C.; van Tartwijk, J.M.F.M.; van Arendonk, J.A.M. |
| Title |
Genetic relations of First Stallion Inspection traits with dressage and show-jumping performance in competition of Dutch Warmblood horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Livestock Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
107 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
81-85 |
| Keywords |
Riding horse; Heritability; Stallion inspection; Dressage; Show-jumping |
| Abstract |
Genetic parameters for traits evaluated at the First Stallion Inspection (FSI) and genetic correlations with dressage and show-jumping performance in competition were estimated. Data comprised 2361 stallions with FSI-observations from 1994 through 1999. Genetic analyses were performed using univariate and bivariate animal models. Heritability estimates of the FSI-traits ranged from 0.25 to 0.61. FSI-traits related to gaits showed strong genetic correlations (above 0.70) and FSI-traits related to free jumping had correlations close to unity. Competition results of 23,897 horses with performance in dressage and 22,811 horses with performance in show-jumping were linked to the FSI data to estimate the genetic relationship with performance in competition. Heritability estimates for dressage and show-jumping were 0.14. Genetic correlation between FSI-gaits and dressage in competition were positive, ranging from 0.37 to 0.72. Genetic correlation between FSI-jumping traits and show-jumping were all above 0.80. FSI-jumping traits showed negative correlations with dressage (about – 0.48). FSI-gait traits showed negative correlations with show-jumping, except for canter. It is concluded that selection at First Stallion Inspection comprises an important component of the stallion selection program, because FSI-traits have good genetic relationships with performance in competition and, due to the number of animals involved, relative high selection intensities can be achieved. |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
3948 |
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