Abstract
Depth perception in gerbils and spiny mice was studied with a modified visual cliff which varied the height of a platform from 5.08 cm to 25.4 cm and presented animals with an apparent drop-off to a patterned or a white field. Time to descend from the platform and orienting response frequency were recorded. For gerbils neither measure varied significantly between the platforms. Both Acomys species increased descent time and orienting response frequency as platform height increased. The results suggest that both gerbils and spiny mice can perceive depth, though there appears to be a difference between the species' use of sensory cues in descending from a visual cliff. The spiny mice appear to rely more on visual cues than do the gerbils. The data also reveal subtle behavioral differences between the Acomys species that may relate to their successful sympatry. The results are discussed by alluding to ecological differences between these species in their natural habitats.
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