Animal Cognition · 2 authors, 1 centre
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This study tested whether tokay geckos can distinguish their own skin and faecal chemicals from those of other geckos using a behavioural tongue-flicking assay. The central result is that female geckos directed significantly more tongue-flicks towards the ground (presumably to re-investigate their own scent) when presented with unfamiliar conspecific chemicals compared to their own.
Researchers measured swab-directed and ground-directed tongue-flicking (TF) responses. The primary finding was that females, but not males, showed a pattern consistent with self-recognition: they produced more ground-directed TF in response to unfamiliar conspecific chemicals than to their own. They also showed more ground-directed TF when presented with their own chemicals compared to water. The authors interpret the ground-directed TF as a self-directed behaviour for re-investigating one's own scent. Limitations include the lack of specific control conditions to rule out habituation or familiarity effects, the very low response rate in males, and the fact that true self-recognition (as defined by the mirror test criteria) was not conclusively demonstrated. The results provide evidence for the ability to discriminate self from other based on chemical cues and suggest a possible social function for scat piles.
