Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control
Abstract Inhibitory control, the ability to suppress an automatic response in favour of a contextually appropriate alternative, is crucial for adaptive behaviour across animal species. While extensively studied in mammals and birds, research on reptiles remains limited, with comparisons hindered by...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08373-9 |
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| author | Maria Santacà Anna Wilkinson Gionata Stancher Valeria Anna Sovrano Angelo Bisazza |
| author_facet | Maria Santacà Anna Wilkinson Gionata Stancher Valeria Anna Sovrano Angelo Bisazza |
| author_sort | Maria Santacà |
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| description | Abstract Inhibitory control, the ability to suppress an automatic response in favour of a contextually appropriate alternative, is crucial for adaptive behaviour across animal species. While extensively studied in mammals and birds, research on reptiles remains limited, with comparisons hindered by methodological inconsistencies. Here, we assessed inhibitory control in two reptile species, Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), using the transparent cylinder test—a method widely employed with mammals, birds, and fish. This test evaluates the ability to inhibit reaching directly for visible food through a transparent barrier. Both species exhibited lower inhibitory control than most amniotes, supporting the prevalent hypothesis linking inhibitory capacity to brain size. However, exceptions observed in various species suggest ecological and non-cognitive factors also shape these abilities. Notably, bearded dragons outperformed tortoises, despite their smaller size. In tortoises, females surpassed males, highlighting sex-based inhibitory differences in non-avian reptiles. Additionally, a positive correlation between lateralization and inhibitory control was observed in both species, providing the first evidence of such a link in reptiles. These findings emphasize the role of lateralization in reptilian cognition and suggest that inhibitory control across vertebrates is influenced by diverse factors, including brain size, ecology, and sex. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-35b85ea832084fe0abaa8422a742ecaa2025-08-20T04:01:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-08373-9Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory controlMaria Santacà0Anna Wilkinson1Gionata Stancher2Valeria Anna Sovrano3Angelo Bisazza4Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of LincolnRovereto Civic Museum FoundationCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of TrentoDepartment of General Psychology, University of PadovaAbstract Inhibitory control, the ability to suppress an automatic response in favour of a contextually appropriate alternative, is crucial for adaptive behaviour across animal species. While extensively studied in mammals and birds, research on reptiles remains limited, with comparisons hindered by methodological inconsistencies. Here, we assessed inhibitory control in two reptile species, Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), using the transparent cylinder test—a method widely employed with mammals, birds, and fish. This test evaluates the ability to inhibit reaching directly for visible food through a transparent barrier. Both species exhibited lower inhibitory control than most amniotes, supporting the prevalent hypothesis linking inhibitory capacity to brain size. However, exceptions observed in various species suggest ecological and non-cognitive factors also shape these abilities. Notably, bearded dragons outperformed tortoises, despite their smaller size. In tortoises, females surpassed males, highlighting sex-based inhibitory differences in non-avian reptiles. Additionally, a positive correlation between lateralization and inhibitory control was observed in both species, providing the first evidence of such a link in reptiles. These findings emphasize the role of lateralization in reptilian cognition and suggest that inhibitory control across vertebrates is influenced by diverse factors, including brain size, ecology, and sex.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08373-9Cylinder testReptile cognitionMotor InhibitionComparative cognitionDetour-reaching behavior |
| spellingShingle | Maria Santacà Anna Wilkinson Gionata Stancher Valeria Anna Sovrano Angelo Bisazza Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control Scientific Reports Cylinder test Reptile cognition Motor Inhibition Comparative cognition Detour-reaching behavior |
| title | Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| title_full | Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| title_fullStr | Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| title_short | Lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| title_sort | lizards and tortoises show evidence of low inhibitory control |
| topic | Cylinder test Reptile cognition Motor Inhibition Comparative cognition Detour-reaching behavior |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08373-9 |
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