PLACE LEARNING BY 3 VOLE SPECIES (MICROTUS-OCHROGASTER, M-MONTANUS, AND MICROTUS-PENNSYLVANICUS) IN THE MORRIS SWIM TASK

Place learning was assessed in three species of voles (Microtus ochrogaster, M. montanus, and M. pennsylvanicus) with the Morris swim task. The performance of all 3 species and both sexes improved with training on the hidden-platform version of the Morris swim task which indicates that all groups were able to learn to locate a spatial goal without local cues. Contrary to expectations, no evidence for a sex difference in spatial ability emerged in any of the species. These findings do not provide support for current hypotheses that emphasize a positive correlation between home-range size and laboratory measures of spatial ability.