TY - JOUR

T1 - First record of limb preferences in monotremes (Zaglossus spp.)

AU - Giljov, A.

AU - Karenina, K.

AU - Hawkins, M.

AU - Malashichev, Y.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Lateralisation in forelimb use at the population and/or individual level has been found in a wide variety of vertebrate species. However some large taxa have not yet been investigated and that limits a proper evolutionary interpretation of forelimb preferences. Among mammals lateralised use of the forelimbs has been shown for both placentals and marsupials, but nothing is known about behavioural lateralisation in monotremes. Here we examined lateral preferences in forelimb use in four long-beaked echidnas (male and female Zaglossus bruijni, and male and female Z. bartoni) in captivity . Three individuals showed significant forelimb preferences in unimanual behaviours associated with feeding. When stepping on an eminence with one forelimb first, the lateralisation at the individual level was found only in males of both species. During male–female interactions the male Z. bartoni significantly preferred to put one of the forelimbs on female’s back. In both males the direction of preferences was consistent acro

AB - Lateralisation in forelimb use at the population and/or individual level has been found in a wide variety of vertebrate species. However some large taxa have not yet been investigated and that limits a proper evolutionary interpretation of forelimb preferences. Among mammals lateralised use of the forelimbs has been shown for both placentals and marsupials, but nothing is known about behavioural lateralisation in monotremes. Here we examined lateral preferences in forelimb use in four long-beaked echidnas (male and female Zaglossus bruijni, and male and female Z. bartoni) in captivity . Three individuals showed significant forelimb preferences in unimanual behaviours associated with feeding. When stepping on an eminence with one forelimb first, the lateralisation at the individual level was found only in males of both species. During male–female interactions the male Z. bartoni significantly preferred to put one of the forelimbs on female’s back. In both males the direction of preferences was consistent acro

KW - long-beaked echidna

KW - manual laterality

KW - lateralisation

KW - feeding

KW - handedness

KW - hand paw preference

U2 - 10.1071/ZO15043

DO - 10.1071/ZO15043

M3 - Article

VL - 63

SP - 320

EP - 323

JO - Australian Journal of Zoology

JF - Australian Journal of Zoology

SN - 0004-959X

IS - 5

ER -