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The Journal of Experimental Biology 205, 241-251 (2002)
© 2002 The Company of Biologists Limited

The effect of stimulus features on the visual orienting behaviour of the salamander Plethodon jordani

Niklas Schülert and Ursula Dicke*

Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany

*Author for correspondence (e-mail: dicke{at}uni-bremen.de)

Accepted 29 October 2001

The effects of the visual features of prey-like objects on the orienting behaviour of the salamander Plethodon jordani were studied. Two stimuli (cricket dummies, rectangles), moving in opposite directions, were presented simultaneously on a computer screen. They differed in size, contrast, velocity and movement pattern of the entire body or the body appendages. Size and velocity appeared to be the dominant features; shape was of lesser importance. Contrast and movement pattern were of intermediate importance and local motion of little importance. This rank order was the same when the probability of a response to the different stimuli was estimated by means of the maximum-likelihood method. Cluster analysis revealed that in all animals stimuli could be grouped into five clusters. Among individuals, the rank order of stimuli was similar for high- and low-ranking stimuli and varied for those of intermediate rank; stimuli could be grouped into 3–5 clusters. Our findings favour the view that, in amphibians, prey recognition is guided by a number of visual features acting either alone or in combination and depending on internal motivational or attentional states and individual experience.

Movie available on-line: http://www.biologists.com/JEB/movies/jeb3864.html.

Key words: orienting response, object recognition, prey scheme, prey experience, plethodontid salamander, amphibian, Plethodon jordani.


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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2002