Despite claims to the contrary neither dogs, elephants, dolphins, magpies, horses, manta rays, squid, or ants have shown compelling, reproducible evidence for self-recognition in any modality

The “olfactory mirror” and other recent attempts to demonstrate self-recognition in non-primate species. Gordon G. Gallup Jr. Behavioural Processes, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.010

Highlights
•    We review a recent attempt to develop an “olfactory mirror” test of self-recognition in domestic dogs.
•    We discuss the kind of data that are required to provide definitive evidence for self-recognition in dogs and other species.
•    Despite claims to the contrary no dogs, elephants, dolphins, magpies, horses, manta rays, squid, or ants have shown compelling, reproducible evidence for self-recognition in any modality.

Abstract: The recent attempt by Horowitz (2017) to develop an “olfactory mirror” test of self-recognition in domestic dogs raises some important questions about the kind of data that are required to provide definitive evidence for self-recognition in dogs and other species. We conclude that the “olfactory mirror” constitutes a compelling analog to the mark test for mirror self-recognition in primates, but despite claims to the contrary neither dogs, elephants, dolphins, magpies, horses, manta rays, squid, or ants have shown compelling, reproducible evidence for self-recognition in any modality.

Keywords: Olfactory self-recognition; Mirror self-recognition; Self-recognition in other modalities; Non-primate species