Midterm 1 Flashcards
What is a Taxon
a taxonomic unit
what is Taxonomy?
a branch of science concerned with the classification of organisms
what is thermoregulation?
the process of allowing your body to remain its core internal temperature. this is helpful to Reptiles but costly in terms of energy
physiology drives ______
behaviour
what is a phenotype?
used to determine classification; a set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment
whats so special about about newts?
they have stages on the land and then they go back to the water, they are the only amphibian to do this
what did amphibians evolve from?
they evolved from Dipnomorphia or Lungfish
where is the pineal gland of birds and reptiles?
on the top of the brain, unlike humans where it is deep inside the brain
what is Aves?
birds. a big class with alot of subgroups. some (ravens, crows and magpies) have very sophisticated social behaviour. Corvios, psittacios and sturnids are very good at imitating sound
describe Mammal
only animals to breast feed children, 3 sub-groups (prototheria, maeatheria {marsupials}, Eutheria [placentals])
what is prototheria?
ones with eggs, show connection to reptiles; 1 order; ex. platypus
what are Methatheria?
marsupials; rodent lke and carnivore like marsupials; 7 orders. ex. Possums
what are Eutheria?
placentals. come from placenta, most mammals; 18 orders
what is the current classification of primates?
strepsirhini (nocturnal e.g., lemurs) & haplorhini (monkeys and apes)
what is the current classification of carnivores?
dog-like (e.g., bears) & Cat-like (e.g., hyenas)
what is the current classification of rodents (rodentia)?
squirrel-like and mouse-like
who is the Father of Behaviourism?
Watson who worked with baby Albert
what do behaviourists believe in?
behaviourists believe in learning; teaching animals how to perform certain acts
what is cognitivism?
similar to nature v. nurture; not as concerned about being uptight about behaviour. Believe in the information theory. biologists used to dismiss cognitivism, claimed it had nothing to do with biology.
What is cognitive ethology?
created by Griffin who was interested in beavers because they started covering noise making devices, showing that this behaviour is innate. cognitive ethology focuses on consciousness and mind.
what is homoplasy?
convergent evolution ex. wings developing
what two sciences contribute to animal behaviour?
psychology and psychology. anthropology also contributes to the field (Primatology and Anthrozoology)
what are the three branches within biology that contribute to animal behaviour?
ethology, sociobiology and behavioural ecology
describe sociobiology
introduced by E. O. Wilson; took ethology, evolved genetics and social behaviour all together to create sociobiology. not used as often now, due to race and gender issues that arose in the 60s-70s
what is Forensic Entomology?
looks at what kinds of insects/larvae are on dead bodies in order to determine how long the body has been there (hours or days). uses sexton/burying beetles and carrion beetles.
what is special about Possums?
only marsupials in north america
in relation to FAP, what do neuroethologists look at?
IRM; the mechanism in the brain that triggers FAP
in relation to FAP what do ethologists focus on?
SS and FAP; not so much IRM
who trained pigeons for the US Army
skinner trained pigeons to drop missiles, they pecked a dot on a screen to get trained
what animal is used to study concussions
Rams and Woodpeckers
describe Ethology
systematic and direct observation and description of animals in their natural or seminatural environment. study of overt (observable) behaviours. inductive and idiographic approaches
what are the main criticisms of ethology?
no experimental control and neglect of overt behaviours
what is an idiographic approach?
small n or n of 1 research. generalizations from few observations
what FAP do Geese have?
Lorenz and Timbergen would take eggs from geese as they started to pull the egg towards them, they would continue to pull the egg even tho it is no longer there
describe the sequence of a fixed action pattern
sign stimulus -> innate releasing mechanism -> FAP
what is the difference between a reflex and a FAP
reflexes are simple motor actions, elicited by a sensory stimulus.
FAP’s are a complex motor act, involving a temporal sequence of component acts; generated by an internally or elicited sensory trigger
ex. mauthner’s cell response (fish fleeing danger)
what is the grasp “reflex”
a misnamed FAP for babies
what are the characteristics of FAP’s
genetically encoded specific to a situation/stimuli/environment spontaneous no sensory feedback ballistic movements independent of immediate control no individual differences spontaneous
who came up with the idea of Modal patterns (MAPs)
Barlow
what is larder hoarding?
hoarding or hiding food near the home (den,nest,burrow)
what is scatter hoarding?
hiding food in scattered areas
how do voles cach?
they typically take the food, look around, forget it
what are morphs?
different appearances of the same species
what 6 types of parental care is recognized in amphibians?
- egg attendance
- egg transport
- tadpole attendance
- tadpole transport
tadpole feeding
internal gestation in the oviduct
describe the olfaction of amphibians
nasolabial groove, nose tapping response
describe the reproduction of amphibians
4-17 eggs laid from may to june. eggs hatch in august or september
what are basic issues of observational research?
very hard to find a pattern in the occurrence of monogamy
differential observability:species, groups, individuals
identification of subjects
what are reproductive isolating mechanisms
- chromosomal: non-viable/sterile hybrids
- mechanical: morphological incompatibilities
- incompatible reproductive rhythms
- ecological: habitat incompatibilities
- behavioural: specific recognition system
what is evolution?
a change in frequency of alleles in a population over generations
what are the three foundations of animal behaviour?
- natural selection
- individual learning
- cultural transmission: social learning that will become transgenerational
what are the 4 main forces of change in the evolution of behaviour?
- mutations
- gene flow: exhange of genes between populations of a species
- genetic drift: specific traits get over emphasized and you get something radically different from what you would find on the main land
- natural selection: fir or not fit; not fit features get dropped. need a passive agent (environment) and a selective agent (nature). need a trait that allows reproduction and survival
what is indirect fitness?
when you have more environmental constraints you compete, mormota get social instead; darwainian was too focused on competition
what are the 3 types of direct fitness?
- traits improving chances of survival
- correlated traits
- sexual selection
what does Gould believe about Neoteny?
Gould believes that humans unconsciously and naturally seeking neoteny. his example was the evolution of mickey mouse since its creation (juvenilization)
describe lorenz on neoteny
feautures of juvinility act as IRMs for affection and nurtiring in adult humans. neotenic characteristics are designed to trigger oxytocin release in adults.
what is heterochrony?
changes in time and order of developmental events. in dogs we have slowed down development.
how is heterochrony applied to candids?
-changes in the time of onset of developmental stages
- changes in the rate of developmental stages
- changes in the number of developmental changes
less or slow = paedomorphosis
more or fast = peramorphosis
what does Morey believe about dogs?
believes that dogs are paedomorphoc (compared to wolves)
describe socialization period of wolves and dogs
domestication: extension of the period of socialization of wolves
dogs between 8 and 12 weeks fear the unfamiliar = sensitive period
why are foxes able to be domesticated?
foxes contain higher levels of serotonin and of tryptophan hydroxlase
inhibited adrenal response to stress
where do scientific names come from?
they come from latin and greek languages. universal
ducks are precocial. True or false?
True. they are no helpless when they are born
true or false goats are precocial?
True. will walk straight away and can see
true or false Cats are precocial?
false. cats are altricial, can not see when they are born and lack senses
true or false behaviour is a phenotype?
true
what is Morton’s law?
high pitch = good vocalization intentions
Low pitch = bad vocalization intentions
what is heterochrony?
changes in rate/time of development
what are challenges to basic principles of natural selection?
adoption, reciprocal altruism (non-kin), homosexual behaviour, risk taking behaviour, symbiosis
how do mammals imprint?
they imprint w/ olfaction
how do birds imprint?
visually
what are facilitating factors (Hale)?
gregarity (no hierarchy within groups)
imprint
precociality (more likely to imprint)
paternal care or at least permanent presence around
what is taxonomy?
the theories and techniques of naming, describing and classifying organisms
what is taxinomy?
the study of the laws of classification
what is taxionomy?
application of the principles of taxinomy
why would people study animal behaviour?
interest in species/taxon
interest in processes
interest in patterns
interest in broad questions
what are some approaches in animal behaviour?
conceptual
empirical
theoretical
who are major figures of the school of behaviourism?
Watson and Skinner
ethology is historically __________
inductive (observations, theory making)
who are the fathers of sociobiology?
williams, hamilton, Maynard Smith, Triver, Wilson, Dawkins
what is Moynihan’s perspective of behavioural ecology and ethology?
behavioural ecology: strategies and environment
ethology: tactics and behaviours
what are behaviour classification biases?
behavioural ecology: functions of behaviour
ethology: forms (ethogram), mechanisms and origins of behaviours
what are supernormal stimuli?
models (often larger ones) that can evoke a stronger response
describe stickleback sign stimuli
bolated belly of females stimulates reproductive behaviour and red belly of another male stimulates agression
what are amphibologic behaviours?
behaviours or behavioural categories that are ambiguous
what is a congeneric study?
studying species from the same genus
what did Barash find in his study of marmots?
when less food avail. young will take longer to grow and mature, colonial system an advantage in cases of low food, aggressiveness is a key factor for dispersion
what is an ethogram?
a catalogue of different behaviours
what is direct development?
no larval stage, eggs hatch into small salamanders
what is natural selection?
species level adaptations
what is individual learning?
individual-level adaptations; experience
what are the two ingredients for natural selection?
trait (phenotype) ex. speed that are favoured and help the organism
selective agent ex. nature
what are the prerequisites for natural selection to operate on a trait?
variation
fitness
mode of inheritance
limited resources
what are 3 types of direct fitness?
- traits improving survival
- correlated traits
- traits emanating from sexual selection
what is artificial selection?
selective breeding. Humans selexting traits. ex. breeding border collies
what is Kin Selection?
from Hamilton. individuals differ in their effects on the survival of their kin via their parental care/ helping behaviour. special case of trait/group selection. ability to know one’s kin -> MHC complex, uses sense of smell
what did E.O Wilson believe about kin selection?
kin selection > group selection
what did D.s Wilson believe?
reciprocal altruism exists as well as kinship altruism. depends on conditions
what are the levels of evolution?
gene level gamete level individual level mating pair level immediate
what did lorenz believe about neoteny?
features of juvenility act as IRMs for affection and nurturing in adult humans. we judge animals based on juvenility. we observe head, eyes, chin.
what did Gould say about By-products of adaptations?
by-products of adaptations or “carry along traits”. traits that are not necessarily selected for or against. they’re just there. ex. tail bone, appendix
language is a by product of our large brains
hard to localize where it came from
what is progressive fallacy?
some species have had more evolutionary changes than others, that does not necessarily make them better. not all changes are optimal
who is Eibl-Eibesfeldt?
studied FAPs in red quirrels, found that red squirrels will still go through with the action of hiding a nut even if there is no ground to dig through
