Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata

It has been hypothesized that cerebral lateralization can significantly enhance cognition and that this was one of the primary selective forces shaping its wide-spread evolution amongst vertebrate taxa. Here we tested this hypothesis by examining the link between cerebral lateralization and numerica...

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Main Authors: Marco eDadda, Christian eAgrillo, Angelo eBisazza, Culum eBrown
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00285/full
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author Marco eDadda
Christian eAgrillo
Angelo eBisazza
Culum eBrown
author_facet Marco eDadda
Christian eAgrillo
Angelo eBisazza
Culum eBrown
author_sort Marco eDadda
collection DOAJ
description It has been hypothesized that cerebral lateralization can significantly enhance cognition and that this was one of the primary selective forces shaping its wide-spread evolution amongst vertebrate taxa. Here we tested this hypothesis by examining the link between cerebral lateralization and numerical discrimination. Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, were sorted into left, right and non-lateralized groups using a standard mirror test and their numerical discrimination abilities tested in both natural shoal choice and abstract contexts. Our results show that strongly lateralized guppies have enhanced numerical abilities compared to non-lateralized guppies irrespective of context. These data provide further credence to the notion that cerebral lateralization can enhance cognitive efficiency
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spelling doaj.art-3243fb18b789402e8dbb5cc9d05bd20f2022-12-21T20:35:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532015-10-01910.3389/fnbeh.2015.00285140727Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulataMarco eDadda0Christian eAgrillo1Angelo eBisazza2Culum eBrown3University of PadovaUniversity of PadovaUniversity of PadovaMacquarie UniversityIt has been hypothesized that cerebral lateralization can significantly enhance cognition and that this was one of the primary selective forces shaping its wide-spread evolution amongst vertebrate taxa. Here we tested this hypothesis by examining the link between cerebral lateralization and numerical discrimination. Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, were sorted into left, right and non-lateralized groups using a standard mirror test and their numerical discrimination abilities tested in both natural shoal choice and abstract contexts. Our results show that strongly lateralized guppies have enhanced numerical abilities compared to non-lateralized guppies irrespective of context. These data provide further credence to the notion that cerebral lateralization can enhance cognitive efficiencyhttp://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00285/fullFishesoperant conditioningquantity discriminationnumerical discriminationfunctional asymmetries
spellingShingle Marco eDadda
Christian eAgrillo
Angelo eBisazza
Culum eBrown
Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Fishes
operant conditioning
quantity discrimination
numerical discrimination
functional asymmetries
title Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
title_full Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
title_fullStr Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
title_full_unstemmed Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
title_short Laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
title_sort laterality enhances numerical skills in the guppy poecilia reticulata
topic Fishes
operant conditioning
quantity discrimination
numerical discrimination
functional asymmetries
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00285/full
work_keys_str_mv AT marcoedadda lateralityenhancesnumericalskillsintheguppypoeciliareticulata
AT christianeagrillo lateralityenhancesnumericalskillsintheguppypoeciliareticulata
AT angeloebisazza lateralityenhancesnumericalskillsintheguppypoeciliareticulata
AT culumebrown lateralityenhancesnumericalskillsintheguppypoeciliareticulata