Open AccessAnts Can Expect the Size of the Next Element in a Geometric Sequence of Increasing or Decreasing Shapes, Only If This Sequence Is Present
Author(s) -
Marie-Claire Cammaerts,
Roger Cammaerts
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of biology/internationa journal of biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1916-968X
pISSN - 1916-9671
DOI - 10.5539/ijb.v13n2p37
Subject(s) - sequence (biology) , element (criminal law) , order (exchange) , sequence logo , foraging , computer science , biology , consensus sequence , base sequence , ecology , genetics , gene , finance , political science , law , economics
Having shown that the ant Myrmica sabuleti can expect the following number in an arithmetic sequence of increasing or decreasing numbers, we here investigated on their ability in expecting the size of the following element in an increasing or decreasing geometric sequence of shapes, otherwise identical. We found that the ants could anticipatively correctly increment or decrement a geometric sequence when tested in the presence of the learned sequence, but not without seeing the sequence in its learned sequential order. Such a behavior, i.e. perfectly choosing the next element of a sequence when in presence of that sequence but not otherwise, seems appropriate for the use of encountered cues while foraging and returning to the nest.