title: Landmark learning by juvenile salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum).
abstract: Learning to use a landmark as a beacon to locate resources is one of the simplest forms of spatial learning. We tested whether landmark learning occurs in a semifossorial salamander that migrates annually to breeding ponds as adults. Juvenile spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) were tested in square containers with a plastic feeding dish in each corner, and a piece of earthworm was placed in one randomly-chosen dish. For landmark-trained salamanders, a rock was placed beside the dish containing the prey. For control salamanders, the rock was placed beside a randomly selected feeding dish. Each salamander was trained once every 2 days for 30 days. Significantly more landmark-trained salamanders than control salamanders entered the landmark area first, and landmark-trained individuals had faster latencies to enter the landmark area and longer stay-times. These results suggest that spotted salamanders are able to locate resources by associating their positions with landmarks.
authors.affiliation: Missouri State University, 901 S. National Avenue, Springfield, MO 65897, United States of America. Electronic address: heuringwl@g.cofc.edu.
authors.forename: Whitney L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Heuring
authors.affiliation: Missouri State University, 901 S. National Avenue, Springfield, MO 65897, United States of America. Electronic address: AliciaMathis@MissouriState.edu.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathis
mesh_terms: D000557:Ambystoma; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D065853:Spatial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D014562:Caudata / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Ambystoma maculatum; Associative learning; Landmark learning; Spotted salamander