Source: PopSci
Manuel Leal, Duke University
Puerto Rican anoles--a very common type of lizard, even sold in pet stores--was the subject of an experiment at Duke University that indicated its ability to learn is much higher than previously thought. The anole was presented first with two small wells, one empty and one with a worm, but covered by a cap. The anoles quickly learned to bump the cap out of the way--a behavior they've never exhibited in the wild. Then the wells were both covered, one with a bright cap and one with a dull cap, with food consistently under the bright cap--and the lizards managed to figure that out and go for the bright cap each time. Even after switching that experiment so the worm was under the dull cap instead, the lizards un-learned what they knew before after only a few trials and went for the dull cap. Most birds--generally more intelligent than lizards--were unable to solve this test as quickly as the tiny anole.
Puerto Rican anoles--a very common type of lizard, even sold in pet stores--was the subject of an experiment at Duke University that indicated its ability to learn is much higher than previously thought. The anole was presented first with two small wells, one empty and one with a worm, but covered by a cap. The anoles quickly learned to bump the cap out of the way--a behavior they've never exhibited in the wild. Then the wells were both covered, one with a bright cap and one with a dull cap, with food consistently under the bright cap--and the lizards managed to figure that out and go for the bright cap each time. Even after switching that experiment so the worm was under the dull cap instead, the lizards un-learned what they knew before after only a few trials and went for the dull cap. Most birds--generally more intelligent than lizards--were unable to solve this test as quickly as the tiny anole.
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