Instrumental Conditioning of Lemon Sharks

Clark, Eugenie

doi:10.1126/science.130.3369.217-a

Cited by 57 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Shovelnose rays, G. typus, successfully performed a four-choice discrimination task, which confirms earlier work showing that elasmobranchs are capable of learning visual discrimination tasks (Clark, 1959;Clark, 1963;Wright and Jackson, 1964;Tester and Kato, 1966;Hodson, 2000). The rays were capable of discriminating coloured reward stimuli from differently coloured distracter stimuli that varied in relative brightness from trial to trial.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…The earliest behavioural experiments on sharks concentrated on demonstrating that sharks were capable of being conditioned to press a target in order to receive a food reward (Clark, 1959;Wright and Jackson, 1964;Aronson et al, 1967). From these studies, more complex behavioural experiments that examined shape recognition and colour vision were developed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioural evidence for colour vision in an elasmobranch

Van-Eyk

Siebeck

Champ

et al. 2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYLittle is known about the sensory abilities of elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) compared with other fishes. Despite their role as apex predators in most marine and some freshwater habitats, interspecific variations in visual function are especially poorly studied. Of particular interest is whether they possess colour vision and, if so, the role(s) that colour may play in elasmobranch visual ecology. The recent discovery of three spectrally distinct cone types in three different species of ray suggests that at least some elasmobranchs have the potential for functional trichromatic colour vision. However, in order to confirm that these species possess colour vision, behavioural experiments are required. Here, we present evidence for the presence of colour vision in the giant shovelnose ray (Glaucostegus typus) through the use of a series of behavioural experiments based on visual discrimination tasks. Our results show that these rays are capable of discriminating coloured reward stimuli from other coloured (unrewarded) distracter stimuli of variable brightness with a success rate significantly different from chance. This study represents the first behavioural evidence for colour vision in any elasmobranch, using a paradigm that incorporates extensive controls for relative stimulus brightness. The ability to discriminate colours may have a strong selective advantage for animals living in an aquatic ecosystem, such as rays, as a means of filtering out surface-wave-induced flicker.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural evidence for colour vision in an elasmobranch

Van-Eyk

Siebeck

Champ

et al. 2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Although conditioning was successful with only the visual stimulus, they found that the success rate was significantly greater with the addition of sound reinforcement. As with Clark (1959) Fig.4. Opcrant conditioning of a young nursc shark.…”

Section: Captive Behaviour and Operant Conditioningmentioning

confidence: 57%

“…Once acquired, there was a long retention period for this behaviour. Even after a lapse of 10 weeks, sharks quickly pressed the target (Clark, 1959). There was some evidence that they learned to associate the ringing of a bell with food delivery as well.…”

Section: Captive Behaviour and Operant Conditioningmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The ability to select a target based on differential brightness was demonstrated in lemon sharks by Gruber and Cohen (1978), Wright and Jackson (1964) and Clark (1959), and in nurse sharks by Wright and Jackson (1964). Graeber and Ebbesson (1972) trained juvenile nurse sharks to discriminate black from white targets and between horizontal and vertical stripes.…”

Section: Shark Sensory Capabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behaviour of sharks

Bres

1993

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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Adaptations for spatial vision in sharks

Hueter

1990

J. Exp. Zool.

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The revelation that sharks as a group are not simply all-rod, nocturnal vertebrates has called for a new perspective on their spatial visual capabilities. Using the lemon shark (Neguprion breuirostris) as a model species, selected components of spatial vision in sharks have been investigated. The physiological optics of the eye have been modeled with a schematic eye for the lemon shark, the first such model for an elasmobranch species. Retinal cone and ganglion cell topography and retinotectal projection pattern have been mapped completely for the first time in an elasmobranch. These topographic maps reveal a prominent visual streak, a functional specialization that is correlated with the lemon shark's visual behavior and habitat.Evidence in the literature of similar specializations for spatial vision in other elasmobranchs signifies that the lemon shark is not a special case. Assessments of the quality of shark vision should consider the sensory niches of these animals in their specific marine environments, as well as the phylogenetic and ontogenetic diversity within the group.

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Instrumental Conditioning of Lemon Sharks

Abstract: Two sharks were trained to feed at a target which, when pressed, caused a submerged bell to ring. Later they were trained to press the target for remotely placed food. They retained this conditioned response after a 10-week period of inactivity.

Cited by 57 publications

References 3 publications

Behavioural evidence for colour vision in an elasmobranch

Behavioural evidence for colour vision in an elasmobranch

The behaviour of sharks

Adaptations for spatial vision in sharks

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