Sensory systems

Question 1

pheromone definition

Answer 1

-chemical that is released into the environment which causes a specific behavioural or physiological reaction in members of the same species

Question 2

how do pheromones affect hormones

Answer 2

via sensory systems

Question 3

two main roles of pharmones

Answer 3

-signalling (eg estrous- female presents)
-priming (eg initiate ovulation cycle)

Question 4

examples of pharmones

Answer 4

-naked mole rat: pheromones suppresses other females (so male breeds her)
-synchronization of ovulation cycles (human)
-ram effect in sheep (initiates cycling by introducing a ram

Question 5

what are the 5 main senses

Answer 5

-sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste

Question 6

umwelt

Answer 6

-german word meaning environment or surroundings used to describe “the individual sensory environment and behavioural capabilities of a species”
-animal perceptions vary greatly from human abilities
-failure to understand this limits our understanding of animal behaviour
-we cant assume that animals perceive their environment as we do

Question 7

what is it called when you give an animal-human characteristics

Answer 7

anthropomorphism

Question 8

vision

Answer 8

-vision is a balance between light sensitivity and colour detection (depends on structure of eye)
-cones-bright light-color vision
-rods-dim light-non responsive to color
-balance depends on species behaviour and dependence on visual information

Question 9

nocturnal species

Answer 9

-one receptor type: see grey scale at high resolution
-owl, bats

Question 10

crepuscular species

Answer 10

-twilight
-2 colours: blue-violet and green
-deer

Question 11

diurnal species

Answer 11

-humans, birds
-see full colour

Question 12

high end hearing

Answer 12

ultrasonic (bats)

Question 13

low end hearing

Answer 13

-infrasonic
-elephants use this for communication over long distances
-contact calls used to communicate location
-21 Hz calls; 4-5 sec in duration
-sounds can travel multiple kilometers

Question 14

what is a hertz

Answer 14

frequency in cycles per second

Question 15

electroreceptor

Answer 15

-seen in fish
-dark environments
-stunning prey
-location
-communication
-fish/amphibious since salt water is a good conductor

Question 16

magnetoreception

Answer 16

-sense magnetic fields
-how does it work? possibly via magnetite crystals or vision
-found in some bacteria, bees, and migratory birds
-orient using earths magnetic fields
-grazing cows orient predominantly facing north-south
-we do not know where the receptors are