This is actually a really interesting topic. The question here is whether the crocodile is responding to classical music to how we understand it or is it responding to complex noise? We humans take music for granted but the ability to recognise beat and rhythm is actually rare in the animal kingdom, it is not inherent to all animals. The ability to understand music is linked to the development of speech. Animals that rely on complex vocal communication such as birds and whales seem to also have the ability to comprehend music. The difference between human and animal communication is that human language relies of lexicoding (combining words to create meaningful sentences) while whales and birds use phonocoding (sounds used in symbolic ways but are not themselves words – sentence structures are not formed). Elephants can also comprehend music but it is questioned whether our ape cousins can.
The study seems to conclude that reptiles respond to complex stimuli similar to that of birds and mammals, it does not conclude that reptiles possess the ability to detect any of the meaningful quality of music.
Additionally, the fact that crocodiles would respond similarly to birds is not completely surprising as crocodiles are the closest living relatives of birds (both being living examples of archosaurs). In fact, crocodiles are more closely related to birds than they are to other reptiles.
The study seems to conclude that reptiles respond to complex stimuli similar to that of birds and mammals, it does not conclude that reptiles possess the ability to detect any of the meaningful quality of music.
Additionally, the fact that crocodiles would respond similarly to birds is not completely surprising as crocodiles are the closest living relatives of birds (both being living examples of archosaurs). In fact, crocodiles are more closely related to birds than they are to other reptiles.
