Detection of water surface waves by nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus)

23种鳄鱼属于最大的爬行动物。根据它们的年龄，鳄鱼捕食落入水中的昆虫，青蛙，鱼类和陆生脊椎动物。所有鳄鱼的皮肤都含有圆顶压力感受器（DRPs）。这些感受器对直接触摸以及地下和地表水的运动做出反应。虽然研究表明鳄鱼使用它们的DRP来感知水面波，但研究这种感觉系统的完整行为能力的定量实验却缺失了。在应用研究项目中，我们希望确定鳄鱼对正弦水面波的行为阈值。此外，我们还想研究鳄鱼能够以何种精度区分频率、频率内容以及频率或振幅调制不同的水面波。在进一步的实验中，我们将研究鳄鱼是否可以识别表面波信号的存在下，在不同的位置产生的第二个表面波列车。最后，我们想知道鳄鱼是否能记住一个习得的辨别任务，以及能记住多久。

The 23 species of crocodiles belong to the largest living reptiles. Depending on their age, crocodiles prey on insects fallen into the water and on frogs, fish and terrestrial vertebrates. The skin of all crocodiles contains Dome Pressure Receptors (DRPs). These receptors respond to direct touch and to subsurface and surface water motions. Although studies have shown that crocodiles use their DRPs to sense water surface waves, quantitative experiments that have investigated the full behavioral capability of this sensory system are missing. In the applied research project we want to determine the behavioral thresholds of crocodiles to sinusoidal water surface waves. In addition we want to study to which precision crocodiles can discriminate water surface waves that differ in frequency, frequency content and in frequency or amplitude modulation. In further experiments we will investigate whether crocodiles can recognize a surface wave signal in the presence of a second surface wave train generated at a different location. Finally we want to find out whether and for how long crocodiles can remember a learned discrimination task.