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Neophobia in 10 ungulate species-a comparative approach.

Alina Schaffer1,2, Alvaro L Caicoya3,4, Montserrat Colell3,4

  • 1Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
|June 28, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Socially integrated ungulates show higher neophobia (fear of novelty). Larger group sizes correlate with reduced neophobia, suggesting social structure influences fear responses in ungulates.

Keywords:
Dietary breadthNeophobiaPersonalitySocial group sizeSocial integrationUngulates

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Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior and cognition
  • Comparative psychology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Neophobia, the fear of novel stimuli, significantly impacts individual fitness but the factors influencing its variation remain unclear.
  • Understanding neophobia is crucial for conservation efforts and managing captive animal populations.
  • Ungulates offer a diverse model system to investigate inter-specific variations in behavior due to their varied socio-ecological traits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the predictors of neophobia variation in ungulates.
  • To determine if individual characteristics (rank, social integration, sex) and species-level traits (dietary breadth, group size, domestication) influence neophobia.
  • To explore the relationship between social structure and neophobia across different ungulate species.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral observations and experimental tests were conducted on 78 captive ungulates from 10 species.
  • Individuals were presented with familiar food near a novel object to measure latency to approach and eat, and time spent near the food.
  • Phylogenetic approaches and social network analyses were employed to analyze the data.

Main Results:

  • Neophobia was higher in socially integrated individuals across ungulate species.
  • Individual rank and sex did not significantly predict neophobia levels.
  • Barbary sheep exhibited lower neophobia compared to other species, correlating with their larger group sizes.

Conclusions:

  • Social integration is a key factor predicting higher neophobia in ungulates.
  • Larger group sizes are associated with reduced neophobia, supporting the hypothesis that social structure modulates fear responses to novelty.
  • Ungulates provide a valuable model for comparative studies on animal behavior and cognition.