Reptiles Learn Through Imitations: Clever Lizards Open Door (VIDEO)

It turns out that reptiles just may be able to learn through imitation. The findings could mean that reptiles may have the same ability as humans and advanced primates, who can learn behaviors through imitation.

There's an important distinction between imitation and emulation when it comes to studying the cognitive abilities of animals. In true imitation, the individual "copying" another's behavior not only mimics what they see, but also understands the intention behind the action. An animal that emulates a behavior only copies it without understanding its deeper significance. An example would be a parrot copying the words of its owner.

Yet it seems as if reptiles may be capable of social learning through imitation. In this case, the researchers focused on the bearded dragon. The scientists had a demonstrator lizard shows other lizards an action involving a wooden board containing a doorway. More specifically, the lizard opened a wire door which covered a hole in a wooden board. The door could be moved horizontally along sliding rails to the left or right by the use of the head or the foot. The demonstrator was then rewarded with food on the other side of the door.

The scientists then showed eight lizards the demonstrator. In the end, the other lizards all successfully copied the actions of the demonstrator; this suggested that reptiles can learn socially.

"The ability to learn through imitation is thought to be the pinnacle of social learning and long considered a distinctive characteristic of humans," said Anna Wilkinson, the lead researcher, in a news release. "However, nothing is known about these abilities in reptiles. This research suggests that the bearded dragon is capable of social learning that cannot be explained by simple mechanisms-such as an individual being drawn to a certain location because they observed another in that location or through observational learning. The finding is not compatible with the claim that only humans, and to a lesser extent great apes, are able to imitate."

The findings are published in the journal Animal Cognition.