Parker M Rockwell, Currylow Andrea F, Tillman Eric A, Robinson Charlotte J, Josimovich Jillian M, Bukovich Isabella M G, Nazarian Lauren A, Nafus Melia G, Kluever Bryan M, Adams Amy A Yackel
Department of Biology, James Madison University;
U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center.
J Vis Exp. 2021 Apr 7(170). doi: 10.3791/61858.
Reptiles utilize a variety of environmental cues to inform and drive animal behavior such as chemical scent trails produced by food or conspecifics. Decrypting the scent-trailing behavior of vertebrates, particularly invasive species, enables the discovery of cues that induce exploratory behavior and can aid in the development of valuable basic and applied biological tools. However, pinpointing behaviors dominantly driven by chemical cues versus other competing environmental cues can be challenging. Y-mazes are common tools used in animal behavior research that allow quantification of vertebrate chemosensory behavior across a range of taxa. By reducing external stimuli, Y-mazes remove confounding factors and present focal animals with a binary choice. In our Y-maze studies, a scenting animal is restricted to one arm of the maze to leave a scent trail and is removed once scent-laying parameters have been met. Then, depending on the trial type, either the focal animal is allowed into the maze, or a competing scent trail is created. The result is a record of the focal animal's choice and behavior while discriminating between the chemical cues presented. Here, two Y-maze apparatuses tailored to different invasive reptile species: Argentine black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae) and Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) are described, outlining the operation and cleaning of these Y-mazes. Further, the variety of data produced, experimental drawbacks and solutions, and suggested data analysis frameworks have been summarized.
爬行动物利用各种环境线索来引导和驱动动物行为，例如食物或同种个体产生的化学气味痕迹。解密脊椎动物，特别是入侵物种的气味追踪行为，能够发现诱导探索行为的线索，并有助于开发有价值的基础和应用生物学工具。然而，确定主要由化学线索而非其他竞争性环境线索驱动的行为可能具有挑战性。Y迷宫是动物行为研究中常用的工具，可用于量化一系列分类群中脊椎动物的化学感应行为。通过减少外部刺激，Y迷宫消除了混杂因素，并为受试动物提供了二元选择。在我们的Y迷宫研究中，一只散发气味的动物被限制在迷宫的一个臂中留下气味痕迹，一旦满足气味铺设参数，就将其移走。然后，根据试验类型，要么让受试动物进入迷宫，要么创建一条竞争性气味痕迹。结果是记录了受试动物在区分所呈现的化学线索时的选择和行为。在此，描述了两种针对不同入侵爬行动物物种定制的Y迷宫装置：阿根廷黑白泰加蜥蜴（Salvator merianae）和缅甸蟒（Python bivittatus），概述了这些Y迷宫的操作和清洁方法。此外，还总结了产生的各种数据、实验缺点和解决方案，以及建议的数据分析框架。
