INVESTIGADORES
ZENUTO Roxana Rita
artículos
Título:
Short term effects of an acute exposure to predatory cues on the spatial working and reference memory performance in the tuco-tuco, Ctenomys talarum.
Autor/es:
MASTRÁNGELO, MATÍAS; SCHLEICH, CRISTIAN; ZENUTO, ROXANA
Revista:
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Editorial:
Elsevier
Referencias:
Año: 2009 vol. 77 p. 685 - 692
ISSN:
0003-3472
Resumen:
Spatial memory is important for animals to achieve successful foraging, reproduction, territorial defence
and predator avoidance in structurally complex habitats. This cognitive function has been shown to be
affected under stress conditions in surface-dwelling rodents. Here we used the Talas tuco-tuco, Ctenomys
talarum, a subterranean rodent that inhabits complex burrow systems, as a study model. This species has
a highly developed spatial ability and individuals are regularly exposed to predatory stress while foraging
on the surface. We examined the consequences of a single and brief exposure to predatory cues on the
spatial working and reference memory performance. We trained wild-caught individuals (32 males, 36
females) in a six-arm radial maze (spatial working memory task) or a longitudinal maze (spatial reference memory task). Once the animals reached a memory performance criterion, they were exposed to
a direct predatory cue (immobilization), an indirect predatory cue (cat urine odour) or both cues
combined, and their memory performance was evaluated. Exposure to direct and combined predatory
cues impaired spatial reference memory, increasing both the latency to achieve the goal and the number
of errors during the test. Combined presentation of both predatory cues also negatively affected spatial
working memory, but only for latency to achieve the goal. Our results suggest that use of spatial working
memory during a predatory attack on the surface allows C. talarum to relocate burrow entries rapidly and
hence increases survival probabilities.
2008 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved