A distinguished palate: taste discrimination and decision making during the Garcia-effect in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis.

Abstract

The Garcia-effect is a unique form of conditioned taste aversion for two main reasons: the first is that the taste must be a novel one; the second is the requirement of a sickness state that can occur hours after experiencing the novel taste. The Garcia-effect has been shown in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Here we use the requirement of novelty to determine the ability of the snails to differentiate between different food substances (carrot and beet) as well as a mixture of the two (called the Mélange). We hypothesized that L. stagnalis's tasting abilities as well as their memory are competent to discriminate between individual and mixed foods and remember different foods, without associating the mixture with its component ingredients. Thus, for example, a Garcia-effect for the Mélange taste, does not alter the hedonic value of either carrot or beet taste and vice-versa.