Reptiles have long been thought to be dim-witted, but a new study in Biology Letters finds that the Puerto Rican anole, a type of lizard, can match birds in smarts. Using cognitive tests that have been previously used on birds, researchers with Duke University found that the lizards were capable of solving a problem they've never encountered before, remembering the solution in future trials, and even changing techniques when presented with new challenges. In fact, the tiny anoles solved the test with fewer tries than birds. Given reptiles' reputation of being slow-on-the uptake the head author, Manuel Leal, said the findings are 'completely unexpected'.
Reptiles have long been thought to be dim-witted, but a new study in Biology Letters finds that the Puerto Rican anole, a type of lizard, can match birds in smarts. Using cognitive tests that have been previously used on birds, researchers with Duke University found that the lizards were capable of solving a problem they've never encountered before, remembering the solution in future trials, and even changing techniques when presented with new challenges. In fact, the tiny anoles solved the test with fewer tries than birds. Given reptiles' reputation of being slow-on-the uptake the head author, Manuel Leal, said the findings are 'completely unexpected'.
!ADVERTISEMENT!
For the test the Puerto Rican anoles (Anolis evermanni) were provided with two wells, one held a tasty worm but was covered by a cap, while the other was empty. To reach the reward--the worm--the anoles had to bump or bite the cap out of the way. On average the lizards solved the problem with three fewer tries than birds.
"They'd put their snout under the little plastic chip and then quickly bump it," Leal said in a press release. "They don't do this in the wild."
The lizards were only given one chance per day, while birds were given several every day. If the lizard didn't succeed they had to wait 24 hours for the next opportunity to feed.
Next researchers put two caps--one bright and one dull--over the wells, and the lizards quickly learned to associate the bright cap with the worm, ignoring the dull one. After this, the researchers tried to trick the lizards: they switched the worm, hiding it under the dull cap. This proved more difficult. But after a few trials, two of the four lizards began to flip the dull cap instead of the bright one.
Photo shows Puerto Rican anoles, Anolis evermanni, which were tested on a food-finding apparatus normally used on birds. The lizards showed they could solve a novel problem, remember solutions and "unlearn" incorrect approaches. Credit: Manuel Leal, Duke University
Article continues: http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0712-hance_smart_lizards.html
