CRC 665/2: Experience-Dependent Development of Prey Capture and of Higher-Order Cortical Areas in the Etruscan Shrew (SP B10)

The prey capture of Etruscan shrews is one of the most sophisticated tactile behaviours in the animal kingdom. Shrew prey capture is a high-speed behaviour that relies on precise attacks guided by tactile Gestalt cues. Behavioural and deprivation experiments have shown that tactile experience is required for the successful prey capture. Thus we plan an integrated behavioural, physiological and anatomical approach towards a systematic understanding of tactile learning and development.