Meeting Abstract
In order for animals to survive in the wild, they must be able to properly navigate within a home range or territory. The ability of animals to perform this type of spatial task and the underlying neural mechanisms have been investigated almost entirely in mammals. Recent evidence suggests that lizards can use visual cues to spatially navigate, however it is unclear if all lizards have this ability or if there are sex differences in the ability of lizards to navigate. We developed a Barnes Maze to test whether Western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) were capable of spatial learning using visual cues and to determine if there were sex differences in this ability. We performed two sets of trials, one with minimal internal visual cues and the second with very prominent internal visual cues. Cues were not directly associated with an escape hole, thus the lizards had to learn the position of their escape hole in relation to the visual cues present. Lizards failed to learn either maze based on the total distance moved, the number of incorrect holes investigated, and the angle of first approach. However, in some individuals, there seemed to be trends for them to learn. Clearly, lizards in the wild demonstrate an ability to remember their territory, however quantifying this ability in the laboratory is challenging. Identifying the appropriate motivators and sensory cues for each species may be necessary to better understand this behavior and the neural mechanisms regulating spatial navigation and memory.
