Investigating boundary-geometry use by whip spiders (Phrynus marginemaculatus) during goal-directed navigation.

Autor: Coppola VJ; Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH, USA. vincent.coppola@findlay.edu., Caram HE; Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH, USA., Robeson C; Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH, USA., Beeler SM; Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH, USA., Hebets EA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA., Wiegmann DD; Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.; J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA., Bingman VP; J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.; Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Learning & behavior [Learn Behav] 2024 Jun; Vol. 52 (2), pp. 170-178. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Aug 24.
DOI: 10.3758/s13420-023-00600-5
Abstrakt: Previous studies have shown that whip spiders (Amblypygi) can use a variety of cues to navigate to and recognize a home refuge. The current study aimed to determine whether whip spiders were capable of using the boundary geometry of an experimental space (geometric information) to guide goal-directed navigation and to investigate any preferential use of geometric or feature (visual) information. Animals were first trained to find a goal location situated in one corner of a rectangular arena (geometric information) fronting a dark-green-colored wall, which created a brightness contrast with the other three white walls (feature information). Various probe trials were then implemented to determine cue use. It was found that animals were capable of directing their choice behavior towards geometrically correct corners at a rate significantly higher than chance, even when the feature cue was removed. By contrast, choice behavior dropped to random chance when geometric information was removed (test in a square arena) and only feature information remained. Choice behavior was also reduced to chance when geometric and feature information were set in conflict (by moving the feature cue to one of the longer walls in the rectangular arena). The data thus suggest that whip spiders are capable of using geometric information to guide goal-directed navigation and that geometric information is preferred over feature guidance, although a feature cue may set the context for activating geometry-guided navigation. Experimental design limitations and future directions are discussed.
(© 2023. The Psychonomic Society, Inc.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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