Configural learning in freshly collected, smart, wild Lymnaea.

An inbred laboratory strain (W-strain) of Lymnaea stagnalis is capable of configural learning. Configural learning, a higher form of learning, is an association between two stimuli experienced together that is different from the simple sum of their components. In our configural learning procedure, a food odour (carrot odour, CO) is experienced together with crayfish effluent (CE) (i.e. CO+CE). Following configural learning, CO now elicits a fear state rather than increased feeding. We hypothesized that freshly collected wild strains of predator-experienced L. stagnalis also possess the ability to form configural learning, even though they experience crayfish daily in their environment. We therefore subjected freshly collected wild strain L. stagnalis to the configural learning procedure. Following the configural learning procedure, CO became a risk signal and evoked anti-predator behaviours. Thus, configural learning was demonstrated in wild, freshly collected snails. We believe that configural learning occurs in the snail's natural environment and is important for their survival.