Publication details

Habituation to visual stimuli is independent of boldness in a jumping spider

Authors

BEYDIZADA Narmin CANNONE Francesco PEKÁR Stanislav BARACCHI David DE AGRO Massimo

Year of publication 2024
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Animal Behaviour
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Web https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964423001111?casa_token=nN4I7v7ULOgAAAAA:TgOQ6J7GjyvXXeJa851J9YyeAjUQYSWdXJzNFudKO_6eFPfot94xhk1VZmgWqgqVUcA0fBk
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.04.010
Keywords boldness; dishabituation; habituation; Menemerus semilimbatus; response rate; visual detection
Description Jumping spiders display some of the richest visually mediated behaviours in nature. Vision is indeed the most important sensory modality in these spiders where motion detection and response to visual stimuli allow key behaviours such as hunting, escaping from predators and mating. These spiders have been used in various experiments demonstrating the existence of good associative learning and memory abilities, whose mechanism parallels that found in vertebrates. Here we focused on the habituation and dishabituation (H/DH) paradigm, indicating either a gradual decrease in responsiveness to repeated visual stimuli (H), or a recovery in response wherein the reaction towards a known stimulus is enhanced (DH). H is an elementary form of nonassociative learning and memory, which is expected to vary from individual to individual. The link between personality and H/DH has been shown in many vertebrates, but rarely in invertebrates. The jumping spider Menemerus semilimbatus was used in our study to address the question of whether boldness is related to H/DH. In our protocol, habituation was assessed by repeatedly presenting a visual stimulus on a screen to spiders tethered on a locomotor compensator. In the same individuals, boldness was assessed in a walking arena equipped with a shelter. We found that M. semilimbatus habituated and dishabituated to our visual stimulus and that they differed along a shy–bold axis. However, contrary to our expectations, boldness was not related to learning. In consideration of these results, we speculate that the nature (neutral value) of the stimulus might have played a role in making learning independent from boldness.

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