Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes
Abstract The ability to detect threats quickly is crucial for survival. Primates, including humans, have been shown to identify snakes quickly and accurately due to their evolutionary history. However, it is unclear which visual features humans and primates detect as threat targets. Several studies...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78595-w |
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| author | Nobuyuki Kawai |
| author_facet | Nobuyuki Kawai |
| author_sort | Nobuyuki Kawai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The ability to detect threats quickly is crucial for survival. Primates, including humans, have been shown to identify snakes quickly and accurately due to their evolutionary history. However, it is unclear which visual features humans and primates detect as threat targets. Several studies have suggested that snake scales possess potent visual features. My previous study demonstrated that removing snake scales through digital image processing reduces attention directed toward snakes. Here, I conducted a visual search task using luminance- and contrast-adjusted photographs of snakes and salamanders in monkeys that had never seen these real reptiles and amphibians. This study demonstrates that the presence or absence of snake scales is responsible for the rapid detection of target animals. The monkeys quickly detected one snake photograph from the eight salamander photographs than vice versa. However, when the same salamanders were clothed with snake scales using image processing, the difference in detection speed between snakes and salamanders disappeared. These results are consistent with the snake-detection theory that snakes were a strong selective pressure favoring modifications in the primate visual system that allow them to detect snakes more quickly or reliably. This strongly suggests that primates’ snake detection depends on the snake-scale shapes, which are both snake-specific and common to all snakes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c8ddddba05c6434b83a9383730dcc1b3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-c8ddddba05c6434b83a9383730dcc1b32024-11-10T12:22:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-011411810.1038/s41598-024-78595-wJapanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakesNobuyuki Kawai0Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Nagoya UniversityAbstract The ability to detect threats quickly is crucial for survival. Primates, including humans, have been shown to identify snakes quickly and accurately due to their evolutionary history. However, it is unclear which visual features humans and primates detect as threat targets. Several studies have suggested that snake scales possess potent visual features. My previous study demonstrated that removing snake scales through digital image processing reduces attention directed toward snakes. Here, I conducted a visual search task using luminance- and contrast-adjusted photographs of snakes and salamanders in monkeys that had never seen these real reptiles and amphibians. This study demonstrates that the presence or absence of snake scales is responsible for the rapid detection of target animals. The monkeys quickly detected one snake photograph from the eight salamander photographs than vice versa. However, when the same salamanders were clothed with snake scales using image processing, the difference in detection speed between snakes and salamanders disappeared. These results are consistent with the snake-detection theory that snakes were a strong selective pressure favoring modifications in the primate visual system that allow them to detect snakes more quickly or reliably. This strongly suggests that primates’ snake detection depends on the snake-scale shapes, which are both snake-specific and common to all snakes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78595-wSnakesVisual search taskSnake detection theorySnake scaleMonkeys |
| spellingShingle | Nobuyuki Kawai Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes Scientific Reports Snakes Visual search task Snake detection theory Snake scale Monkeys |
| title | Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes |
| title_full | Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes |
| title_fullStr | Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes |
| title_short | Japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake-scale cladded salamanders, similar to detecting snakes |
| title_sort | japanese monkeys rapidly noticed snake scale cladded salamanders similar to detecting snakes |
| topic | Snakes Visual search task Snake detection theory Snake scale Monkeys |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78595-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nobuyukikawai japanesemonkeysrapidlynoticedsnakescalecladdedsalamanderssimilartodetectingsnakes |