PERCEPTUAL COLOR SPACE IN RABBIT

Discrimination of colors was studied using instrumental learning parad igm in three rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The rabbits were able to discriminate all but red stimuli by their color. The red stimulus cou ld not be discriminated from the black one. The confusion matrix compo sed of probabilities of instrumental reactions was subjected to factor analysis in order to reveal the basic axes of the color perceptual sp ace. The four-dimensional spherical structure of perceptual color spac e was obtained, which was different from that of trichromatic species in a reduction of color axes in red and yellow parts. The evidence cha racterizes rabbit as a protanopic animal.