Cold-blooded culture? Assessing cultural behaviour in reptiles and its potential conservation implications

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 380(1925)

Опубликована: Май 1, 2025

It is becoming clear that the cognition of a species plays an important role in successful conservation, with cultural processes being fundamental part this. However, contrast to mammals and birds, very little known about (and social learning underlies these) reptiles. Here, we summarize current state knowledge, consider why this information so limited assess candidate behaviours observed wild, which warrant further investigation through lens traditions. We then make suggestions for next steps necessary start address issue. This includes future experimental work also consideration how existing datasets, such as those capturing animal movement or acoustic activity, can be used questions. In addition, emphasize engaging key conservation stakeholders, zoos, aquaria ecotourism providers, could play furthering our understanding behaviour group potential implications knowledge. Whether there reptiles relationship has remain unclear; however, findings review suggest these are areas worthy research.This article theme issue 'Animal culture: changing world'.

Язык: Английский

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Gaze following: A socio-cognitive skill rooted in deep time

Frontiers in Psychology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 13

Опубликована: Дек. 2, 2022

Social gaze has received much attention in social cognition research both human and non-human animals. Gaze following appears to be a central skill for acquiring information, such as the location of food predators, but can also draw important interactions, which turn promotes evolution more complex socio-cognitive processes theory mind learning. In past decades, large number studies been conducted this field introducing differing methodologies. Thereby, various factors influencing results experiments have identified. This review provides an overview advances study following, highlights some limitations within area. The majority on animals focused primates canids, limits evolutionary interpretations only few closely related lineages. incorporates new insights gained from previously understudied taxa, fishes, reptiles, birds, it will provide brief outline mammal studies. We propose that foundations emerged early history. Basic, reflexive co-orienting responses might already evolved would explain ubiquity seen amniotes. More skills, geometrical ability form predictions based gaze, seem separately at least two times appear correlated with growing complexity brain anatomy increased numbers neurons. However, different taxa key phylogenetic positions are needed better understand history fundamental skill.

Язык: Английский

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How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research

The Anatomical Record, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 307(12), С. 3685 - 3716

Опубликована: Апрель 26, 2024

Recent years have seen increasing scientific interest in whether neuron counts can act as correlates of diverse biological phenomena. Lately, Herculano-Houzel (2023) argued that fossil endocasts and comparative neurological data from extant sauropsids allow to reconstruct telencephalic Mesozoic dinosaurs pterosaurs, which might proxies for behaviors life history traits these animals. According this analysis, large theropods such Tyrannosaurus rex were long-lived, exceptionally intelligent animals equipped with "macaque- or baboon-like cognition", whereas sauropods most ornithischian would displayed significantly smaller brains an ectothermic physiology. Besides challenging established views on dinosaur biology, claims raise questions count estimates could benefit research general. Here, we address findings by revisiting Herculano-Houzel's work, identifying several crucial shortcomings regarding analysis interpretation. We present revised encephalization dinosaurs, derive phylogenetically informed modeling amended dataset endocranial measurements. For large-bodied particular, recover lower than previously proposed. Furthermore, review the suitability variables numbers relative brain size predict cognitive complexity, metabolic rate coming conclusion they are flawed Instead relying when reconstructing argue integrative studies needed approach complex subject.

Язык: Английский

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Unconscious and Conscious Gaze-Triggered Attentional Orienting: Distinguishing Innate and Acquired Components of Social Attention in Children and Adults with Autistic Traits and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 7

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

Typically developing (TD) individuals can readily orient attention according to others’ eye-gaze direction, an ability known as social attention, which involves both innate and acquired components. To distinguish between these two components, we used a critical flicker fusion technique render gaze cues invisible participants, thereby largely reducing influences from consciously strategies. Results revealed that visible could trigger attentional orienting in TD adults (aged 20 30 years) children 6 12 years). Intriguingly, only the involuntarily respond was negatively correlated with autistic traits among all participants. This substantially impaired autism spectrum disorder (ASD) high traits. No such association or reduction observed cues. These findings provide compelling evidence for functional demarcation of conscious unconscious gaze-triggered emerges early life develops into adulthood, shedding new light on differentiation aspects attention. Moreover, they contribute comprehensive understanding endophenotypes ASD.

Язык: Английский

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Domesticated chickens interact more with humans and are more explorative than Red Junglefowl

Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 11

Опубликована: Янв. 7, 2025

Domesticated species are adapted to thrive in an environment with regular human interaction, and these interactions influence the development of a human-animal relationship. Chickens most abundant domesticated species, but their relationship humans is poorly understood. A more comprehensive analysis this would provide valuable insight into welfare needs. The present study compares behavior non-domesticated breed Gallus gallus presence familiar human. was active overall, displayed contact-seeking behavior. These behavioral differences contribute our understanding human-chicken could be helpful new insights for improving chickens agricultural practice.

Язык: Английский

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The selfish preen: absence of allopreening in Palaeognathae and its socio-cognitive implications

Animal Cognition, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 26(5), С. 1467 - 1476

Опубликована: Май 31, 2023

Abstract Preening behaviours are widespread in extant birds. While most birds appear to autopreen (self-directed preening), allopreening (preening directed at conspecifics) seems have emerged only certain species, but across many families. Allopreening has been hypothesised reinforce mutual relationships and cooperation between individuals, underpin various socio-cognitive abilities. Palaeognathae is a bird group exhibiting neurocognitively plesiomorphic traits compared other They share features with non-avian paravian dinosaurs thus important for the study of cognitive evolution Despite this, correlation complicated social behaviours, not systematically studied Palaeognathae. Therefore, we examined preening four species palaeognaths: common ostriches ( Struthio camelus ), greater rheas Rhea americana emus Dromaius novaehollandiae elegant crested tinamous Eudromia elegans ). We findings ravens Corvus corax neognath known its complex cognition. found autopreening, no allopreening, palaeognath while both autopreening was ravens. The absence suggests an emergence this behaviour within Neognathae. contextualise our results relation underpinnings implications understanding abilities early

Язык: Английский

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How smart wasT. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Янв. 12, 2024

Recent years have seen increasing scientific interest in whether neuron counts can act as correlates of diverse biological phenomena. Lately, Herculano-Houzel (2023) argued that fossil endocasts and comparative neurological data from extant sauropsids allow to reconstruct telencephalic Mesozoic dinosaurs pterosaurs, which might proxies for behaviors life history traits these animals. According this analysis, large theropods such Tyrannosaurus rex were long-lived, exceptionally intelligent animals equipped with 'macaque- or baboon-like cognition' whereas sauropods well most ornithischian would displayed significantly smaller brains an ectothermic physiology. Besides challenging established views on dinosaur biology, claims raise questions count estimates could benefit research general. Here, we address findings by revisiting Herculano-Houzel's work, identifying several crucial shortcomings regarding analysis interpretation. We present revised encephalization dinosaurs, derive phylogenetically informed modeling amended dataset endocranial measurements. For large-bodied particular, recover lower than previously proposed. Furthermore, review the suitability variables numbers relative brain size predict cognitive complexity, metabolic rate coming conclusion they are flawed Instead relying when reconstructing argue integrative studies needed approach complex subject.

Язык: Английский

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Thought for food: the endothermic brain hypothesis

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Сен. 1, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Gaze tracking of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) in a motion-capture system

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Год журнала: 2023, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Авг. 14, 2023

ABSTRACT The visually guided behaviors of corvids (Corvidae) are often examined in previous studies because they provide important clues about their perception, attention, and cognition. However, the details regarding how orient heads toward visual targets (or use fields when attending to targets) remain largely unclear. This study used a newly established motion capture system examine field large-billed crows ( Corvus macrorhynchos ). Study 1 employed an ophthalmoscopic reflex technique identify configuration, including binocular width optic axes, as well degree eye movement. 2 track head movements freely moving oriented reconstructed attention-getting objects. When were moving, fields, particularly around projection beak-tip. stopped frequently non-binocular regions where axes found (close axes). On such occasions, slightly preferred right eye. Overall, is clearly predictable. Thus, while untracked could introduce some level uncertainty (typically within 15 degrees), we demonstrated feasibility inferring crow’s attentional focus by 3D tracking heads. Our represents promising initial step towards establishing gaze methods for studying corvid behavior

Язык: Английский

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Differences Teach Us More Than Similarities: The Need for Evolutionary Thinking in Comparative Cognition

Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 19, С. 49 - 53

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

A persistent anthropocentric school of thought prevents comparative cognition from truly joining the evolutionary sciences, which often view "cognition" as an alien subject to study life.In this article, I argue that is indeed inherent all life and we could evolution cognitive skills like any other species-specific trait if stop elevating convergence over differences, adopt inclusive working definition cognition, choose new model organisms with a strong focus on phylogeny.

Язык: Английский

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