caa a22 4500 605541582 CHVBK 20210128100917.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10071-014-0803-7 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10071-014-0803-7 Social learning by imitation in a reptile ( Pogona vitticeps ) [Elektronische Daten] [Anna Kis, Ludwig Huber, Anna Wilkinson] The ability to learn through imitation is thought to be the basis of cultural transmission and was long considered a distinctive characteristic of humans. There is now evidence that both mammals and birds are capable of imitation. However, nothing is known about these abilities in the third amniotic class—reptiles. Here, we use a bidirectional control procedure to show that a reptile species, the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), is capable of social learning that cannot be explained by simple mechanisms such as local enhancement or goal emulation. Subjects in the experimental group opened a trap door to the side that had been demonstrated, while subjects in the ghost control group, who observed the door move without the intervention of a conspecific, were unsuccessful. This, together with differences in behaviour between experimental and control groups, provides compelling evidence that reptiles possess cognitive abilities that are comparable to those observed in mammals and birds and suggests that learning by imitation is likely to be based on ancient mechanisms. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014 Reptile nationallicence Social cognition nationallicence Bidirectional control procedure nationallicence Kis Anna School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK aut Huber Ludwig Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria aut Wilkinson Anna School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK aut Animal Cognition Springer Berlin Heidelberg 18/1(2015-01-01), 325-331 1435-9448 18:1<325 2015 18 10071 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-014-0803-7 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-014-0803-7 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Kis Anna School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Huber Ludwig Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Wilkinson Anna School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Animal Cognition Springer Berlin Heidelberg 18/1(2015-01-01), 325-331 1435-9448 18:1<325 2015 18 10071