Lateralized motor responses in anuran amphibians — an overview of methods and perspectives of studies

Malashichev, Yegor; Robins, Andrew

doi:10.21638/spbu03.2018.402

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…In cases where an individual uses a single forelimb, the choice typically corresponds to the side of the prey. Our findings align with prior studies in another species within the family, Ceratophrys ornata , where no lateralization in forelimb use was identified in snout‐wiping tests (Malashichev & Robins, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Prey capture kinematics of horned frogs (Anura: Ceratophryidae)

Duport‐Bru,

Abdala

2024

Journal of Morphology

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Horned frogs, members of the Ceratophryidae family, encompass a group of anurans varying in size and behavior, yet unified by morphological and behavioral traits enabling them to adopt a megalophagous diet (i.e., large prey feeding). Although the group has been the focus of numerous studies, our understanding of its feeding behavior remains limited. In this study, we characterize the feeding mechanism in five species representing the three extant genera of ceratophryid anurans, both in terrestrial and aquatic environments. We also explore the ability of Chacophrys pierottii to adjust feeding behavior based on prey type. Our findings show that all species are capable of wide mouth opening, displaying an asymmetric feeding cycle. While tongue usage is the primary method for capturing prey on land, ceratophryids may use their forelimbs to manipulate prey into their mouths, exhibiting different behavioral patterns. C. pierottii shows modulation of its feeding kinematics and is also capable of some modulation of its feeding in response to prey properties.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Prey capture kinematics of horned frogs (Anura: Ceratophryidae)

Duport‐Bru,

Abdala

2024

Journal of Morphology

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“…In B. bufo, right-handedness was detected in 59% of individuals based on the snout-wiping test [ 59 ]. However, in the green toad Bufotes viridis , the opposite trend was detected, whereas in R. marina , as well as in true frogs, no dominance in forelimb use was observed (reviewed in [ 60 ]). Therefore, even for relatively closely related species such as bufonids, no compatibility is present in this trait.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digit ratio in the common toad Bufo bufo: the effects of reduced fingers and of age dependency

et al. 2021

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Introduction Despite the growing number of studies describing digit ratio patterns in tetrapods, knowledge concerning certain basic issues is still scarce. In lower vertebrates such as tailless amphibians (Anura), the numbering of individual fingers on the forelimbs and their homology with the fingers of other vertebrates pose an unsolved problem. Based on reviewed data on anuran limb development, we argue that the correct finger numbering scheme should be based on the assumption that the first finger, not the fifth finger, was reduced on the forelimbs. We analyzed the digit ratio in the common toad (Bufo bufo, Bufonidae), a species characterized by well-developed sexual dimorphism whereby females are larger than males, using both numbering schemes present in the literature. Results We found that the digit ratio on hindlimbs differed significantly between the sexes only in the cases of left 2D:3D, with lower digit ratios in females, and of left 3D:4D, with lower digit ratios in males. We found that sex was the only significant variable for forelimbs, differentiating 2D:3D on the left forelimb, with lower digit ratios in females; 2D:4D on the right forelimb, with lower digit ratios in males; and 3D:4D on both forelimbs, with lower digit ratios in males. These results relate to variant II reflecting the hypothesis that the first digit was reduced during phylogenesis. There was no relationship between the body size (SVL) of individuals and any digit ratio, excluding 2D:4D on the right forelimbs in models with age variables. Additionally, for a subset of data where individual age was known, the models indicated that age was linked to significant differences in 2D:4D and 3D:4D on the left hindlimbs, while age, SVL, and sex influenced 2D:4D on the right forelimbs. Conclusion We emphasize the importance of the problem of the correct numbering of forelimb digits in Anura and, under the assumption that it was the fifth digit that was reduced, argue that earlier results on digit ratio in this group should be interpreted with caution. The detected relationship between digit ratio and age in amphibians expands our knowledge, indicating that the age of individuals should be included in future digit ratio studies. This relationship may also apply to studies using digit ratio as a noninvasive indicator of endocrine disruption in amphibians.

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“…In this way, due to the crossed-lateral design of the vertebrate nervous system, the haptic sensory information from the left side of the body can be integrated with the preferential functions of the right brain hemisphere for engaging in anti-predator responses. Similar forms of early warning systems are known to be lateralized in other animals, such as the Mauthner cell reflexes in fish and swimming larval amphibians (reviewed in [8,17]). The existence of such a form of haptic lateralization processing in sheep is however speculative at the time of writing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The findings from behavioral investigations of motor preferences that involve a visual analysis component must therefore be interpreted with caution [15]. Comparatively few experimental designs have been able to isolate the motor from visuomotor biases in vertebrate models, such as the use of reflex righting responses to assess for hindlimb and forelimb preferences in anuran amphibians [16,17]. Moreover, motor bias in prey species in particular infers a weakness or deficiency to one side that may be exploited by a predator.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sheep Quickstep while the Floor Rock and Rolls: Visuomotor Lateralization during Simulated Sea Travel

Robins

Berthoux

Santurtun

et al. 2019

Animals

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Simple SummaryDuring livestock transport the floor of the vehicle moves in a way that can disturb their balance. This can stress the animals, producing signals that are processed by the right half of their brain. This half of the brain controls movement of the sheep on the opposite, left side of their body. Hence we investigated whether limb movement was more pronounced on this side, providing evidence of stress responses. We found that sheep limb movements were increased in their left hindlimb and right forelimb during balance correction when the floor movements were most unpredictable. This may be explained by sheep using their back right leg as a pivot. We further tested which side sheep lie down on from internet pictures and found a preference for left side lying. We conclude that sheep balance correction shows evidence of a preferred use of limbs, which suggests that sheep are stressed by floor motion.AbstractUnpredictable floor motions during transport disturbs animals’ balance, requiring stepping to move the centre of gravity in the direction of body movement. When repeated regularly, this may be stressful, requiring involvement of the right brain hemisphere, hence we investigated the existence of behavioral laterality in sheep during prolonged floor motions. Six sheep were restrained in pairs on a programmable rocking platform, in which they were unable to turn around. They were exposed to three continuous rocking motion treatments (roll, pitch or both) in a regular or irregular pattern for 1 h periods in a changeover design. Right forelimb and left hindlimb diagonal stepping was more frequent in response to the motion treatment of irregular roll and pitch, which previous research has suggested to be the most stressful from heart rate measurements. An overall strategy to maintain balance appeared to be the use of the right hindlimb as a stabilizer, which was repositioned least often of all limbs until towards the end of the hour of experimental treatment. Of each tested pair, sheep restrained on the left side of the rocking floor stepped significantly often than its partner restrained on the right side, and we postulate the existence of visuomotor lateralization as left restrained sheep were unable to view their partner within the field of view of their left eye. We also investigated which side sheep lie down on, which if left lateralized could explain our observed bipedal diagonal control of sheep balance under stress. From the observation of 412 web-based images of sheep, there was an overall left-sided laterality to their lying, as has been observed in cattle. We conclude that stepping activity in sheep in response to a motion stressor is lateralized, providing evidence that floor motion experienced in transport may induce stress responses.

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Lateralized motor responses in anuran amphibians — an overview of methods and perspectives of studies

Cited by 8 publications

References 67 publications

Prey capture kinematics of horned frogs (Anura: Ceratophryidae)

Prey capture kinematics of horned frogs (Anura: Ceratophryidae)

Digit ratio in the common toad Bufo bufo: the effects of reduced fingers and of age dependency

Sheep Quickstep while the Floor Rock and Rolls: Visuomotor Lateralization during Simulated Sea Travel

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