The Psychological Record

, Volume 24, Issue 3, pp 379–383 | Cite as

The Behavior of Two Species of Planaria in Confined Spaces

  • John Vandeventer
Article

Abstract

The behavior of Cura foremanii and Dugesia tigrina in large and small spaces was examined. It was found that the smaller the space (the greater the probability of contact with a corner for rectangular spaces and the greater the degree of angularity for cylindrical spaces), the shorter the mean time to cessation of locomotion. When given a choice between settling in a large or a small volume under diurnal conditions, both C. foremanii and D. tigrina chose the small volume. With continuous darkness, while D. tigrina appeared to continue to choose the smaller volume, C. foremanii avoided it. The behavior was explained as an interaction of taxes.

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References

  1. BEST, J. B. 1965. Behavior of planaria in instrumental learning paradigms. Animal Behavior Supplement 1, 69–75.Google Scholar
  2. PEARL, R. P. 1903. The movements and reactions of freshwater planarians: A study of animal behavior. Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science, 46, 509–714.Google Scholar
  3. REYNIERSE, J. H., GLEASON, K. K., & OTTEMANN, R. 1969. Mechanisms producing aggregations in planaria. Animal Behavior, 17, 47–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. VANDEVENTER, J. M., & RATNER, S. C. 1964. Variables affecting the frequency of response of planaria to light. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 57, 407–411.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Association of Behavior Analysis International 1974

Authors and Affiliations

  • John Vandeventer
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PsychologyUniversity of Wisconsin Center SystemMarshfieldUSA

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