Do rhesus monkeys recognize themselves in mirrors?
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2011 |
Authors: |
James R. Anderson, Gordon G. Gallup |
Publication/Journal: |
American Journal of Primatology |
Publisher: |
A Wiley Company, Inc., Wiley Subscription Services |
Keywords: |
great apes, mirror, monkeys, rhesus, self-recognition |
ISBN: |
1098-2345 |
Abstract:
Abstract Self-recognition continues to attract attention because of the evidence of a striking difference between the great apes and humans, on the one hand, and all other primates; the former are capable of self-recognition, whereas no compelling evidence exists for prosimians, monkeys, or lesser apes. This is in spite of numerous attempts to facilitate mirror self-recognition in other primates. Although all previous attempts to find self-recognition in rhesus macaques have failed, a recent article [Rajala et al., PLoS One 9:e12865, 2010] claimed the opposite—that adult male rhesus monkeys did recognize their own image in a mirror. We critically examine this claim, and conclude that the article fails to provide acceptable evidence for self-recognition in rhesus monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 73:603–606, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.