REPTILE RECOGNITION

Owners often report that their reptiles recognise them when they enter the room, reacting accordingly. However, what would happen if your reptile saw your photograph, or indeed a video of its prey instead of the real-world object? Would the outcome be the same? Questions such as these are studied in the field of science known as visual cognition, and some amazing results are emerging, as Dr Julia Mueller-Paul reports in this article.

There is clear evidence now to suggest that reptiles can distinguish between people visually. Certainly, in the case of those kept in vivarium surroundings, they are more likely to be able to recognise their owners by sight rather than olfaction (smell), given that they are housed behind well-sealed glass or acrylic doors. As far as prey is concerned, studies have now shown that ground skinks (Scincella lateralis) for example identify their prey largely through visual cognition.

This area of research concentrates on the study of how animals perceive the world around themselves visually and how they interpret what they see. Much is known about the visual cognition of birds, and pigeons in particular, but very little research has so far been carried out to investigate this ability in reptiles. However, even what has been shown highlights just what a fascinating field this is, and, once again, proves the wide-ranging capabilities of many reptilian species.

One study has found that shingleback skinks (Tiliqua rugosa) were able to visually distinguish between black and white stimuli, and between triangular and round shapes, but not between the colours red and green. This ability was tested by training the lizards to associate certain stimuli with their shelters.