Lateralization of Agonistic, Escape and Predatory Responses in Firebelly Toads
Mentor 1
Gerlinde Hoebel
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
24-4-2015 10:30 AM
End Date
24-4-2015 11:45 AM
Description
Brain lateralization (and sensory and motor asymmetries in behavior) is present in all vertebrate and some invertebrate classes. This brain regional specialization of tasks is thought to be beneficial because it allows lateralized animals to carry out several tasks simultaneously without decreasing their efficiency. We tested whether firebelly toads Bombina orientalis show evidence of lateralization by filming their behavior during (1) foraging, (2) competition with conspecifics, and (3) simulated predator attacks, and scoring whether they responded preferentially to stimuli approaching from the right or left side. We examined which behavior shows the strongest degree of lateralization, and whether the behaviors are correlated in indvidual toads. This study extends the number of amphibians that have been tested for this phenomenon, and, since Bombina belong to the Archaeobatrachia, respresents the most basal extant tetrapod tested for lateralization to date.
Lateralization of Agonistic, Escape and Predatory Responses in Firebelly Toads
Union Wisconsin Room
Brain lateralization (and sensory and motor asymmetries in behavior) is present in all vertebrate and some invertebrate classes. This brain regional specialization of tasks is thought to be beneficial because it allows lateralized animals to carry out several tasks simultaneously without decreasing their efficiency. We tested whether firebelly toads Bombina orientalis show evidence of lateralization by filming their behavior during (1) foraging, (2) competition with conspecifics, and (3) simulated predator attacks, and scoring whether they responded preferentially to stimuli approaching from the right or left side. We examined which behavior shows the strongest degree of lateralization, and whether the behaviors are correlated in indvidual toads. This study extends the number of amphibians that have been tested for this phenomenon, and, since Bombina belong to the Archaeobatrachia, respresents the most basal extant tetrapod tested for lateralization to date.
