Laterality in the Cape mole-rat, Georychus capensis.

Area of Science:

• Ethology
• Neuroscience
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Behavioral lateralization, the preferential use of one body side, is widespread in vertebrates.
• Turning bias, an indicator of behavioral lateralization, has not been studied in mole-rats.
• Mole-rats exhibit diverse social structures, from solitary to eusocial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate individual and population-level turning biases in Cape mole-rats (Georychus capensis).
• To compare laterality between wild and captive mole-rat populations.
• To explore potential links between aggression and turning bias in this species.

Main Methods:

• Cape mole-rats (captive and wild) were placed in a Y-maze.
• The direction of their turn towards the maze center was recorded.
• Individual (relative laterality) and population (absolute laterality) biases were assessed.

Main Results:

• More wild mole-rats (7/9) exhibited lateralized turning biases compared to captive individuals (3/10).
• Both populations showed a left-turning bias, which was slightly more pronounced in wild animals.
• Reduced lateralization in captive mole-rats may stem from environmental differences and reduced behavioral demands.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral lateralization is present in Cape mole-rats, with wild individuals showing stronger biases.
• The xenophobic and aggressive nature of Cape mole-rats may influence their turning preferences.
• Environmental factors in captivity appear to reduce the expression of behavioral laterality.