TY - JOUR

T1 - Using the data-compression method for studying hunting behavior in small mammals

AU - Reznikova, Zhanna

AU - Levenets, Jan

AU - Panteleeva, Sofia

AU - Novikovskaya, Anna

AU - Ryabko, Boris

AU - Feoktistova, Natalia

AU - Gureeva, Anna

AU - Surov, Alexey

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019 by the authors.

PY - 2019/4/1

Y1 - 2019/4/1

N2 - Using the data-compression method we revealed a similarity between hunting behaviors of the common shrew, which is insectivorous, and several rodent species with different types of diet. Seven rodent species studied displayed succinct, highly predictable hunting stereotypes, in which it was easy for the data compressor to find regularities. The generalist Norway rat, with its changeable manipulation of prey and less predictable transitions between stereotype elements, significantly differs from other species. The levels of complexities of hunting stereotypes in young and adult rats are similar, and both groups had no prior experience with the prey, so one can assume that it is not learning, but rather the specificity of the organization of the stereotype that is responsible for the nature of the hunting behavior in rats. We speculate that rodents possess different types of hunting behaviors, one of which is based on a succinct insectivorous standard, and another type, perhaps characteristic of generalists, which is less ordered and is characterized by poorly predictable transitions between elements. We suggest that the data-compression method may well be more broadly applicable to behavioral analysis.

AB - Using the data-compression method we revealed a similarity between hunting behaviors of the common shrew, which is insectivorous, and several rodent species with different types of diet. Seven rodent species studied displayed succinct, highly predictable hunting stereotypes, in which it was easy for the data compressor to find regularities. The generalist Norway rat, with its changeable manipulation of prey and less predictable transitions between stereotype elements, significantly differs from other species. The levels of complexities of hunting stereotypes in young and adult rats are similar, and both groups had no prior experience with the prey, so one can assume that it is not learning, but rather the specificity of the organization of the stereotype that is responsible for the nature of the hunting behavior in rats. We speculate that rodents possess different types of hunting behaviors, one of which is based on a succinct insectivorous standard, and another type, perhaps characteristic of generalists, which is less ordered and is characterized by poorly predictable transitions between elements. We suggest that the data-compression method may well be more broadly applicable to behavioral analysis.

KW - Biological texts

KW - Complexity

KW - Data compression

KW - Hunting stereotype

KW - Insectivorous

KW - Rodents

KW - data compression

KW - complexity

KW - MODEL

KW - rodents

KW - biological texts

KW - PREDATORY BEHAVIOR

KW - insectivorous

KW - COMPLEXITY

KW - INFORMATION-THEORY

KW - IDEAS

KW - SELECTION

KW - hunting stereotype

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065579802&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/e21040368

DO - 10.3390/e21040368

M3 - Article

C2 - 33267082

AN - SCOPUS:85065579802

VL - 21

JO - Entropy

JF - Entropy

SN - 1099-4300

IS - 4

M1 - 368

ER -