Could some animals have some richer emotions which we don't have? For example, some animals with Tetrachromacy can have a reacher color space than us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrachromacy
Many birds can see ultraviolet, it's fairly common since it seems to allow them to differentiate flowers the same way many insects do. Some flowers look completely different in the UV spectrum (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-473897/A-bees...). This is why it's important that many types of pet birds have some natural daylight.
As for emotions, that's a harder thing to prove. Dolphins are intelligent enough they should be classified as sentient non-human persons according to more progressive scientists. They have the richest range of emotions we've seen outside of chimpanzees, and to be honest, chimpanzees are so very nearly human it's quite amazing. They don't seem to lack any faculties that humans have, but some of their emotions are just less pronounced or developed.
Sometimes it seems the only reason that chimpanzees aren't affected more emotionally is that they don't understand the implications of what's happening. It's just ignorance more than a lack of emotion.
What might exist in the way of emotions humans don't have is things that are bio-chemical. Nature has a way of "rewarding" behaviors that are productive with a positive feeling. Do cuttlefish feel something other than love when doing their dances? What does an octopus, which has a nervous system entirely unlike a mammal or fish, feel when going about their day?
I read "progressive" as an ethical statement. Unless you can demonstrate a "scientific default" ethical system that all scientists should adhere to, this seems like valid distinction
Progressive means the scientists advocate reform or "new, liberal ideas". All of which is fine in their private capacity, but if these scientists are influenced in their scientific output by being progressive then they're not doing their job.
Many animals, e.g. tropical fish, have a four-dimensional color perception, compared to our three-dimensional one; thus making them easily distinguish colors that appear identical to us.
Some animals can also see polarised light
http://larouchepac.com/node/17209
Mantis shrimp can see the four linear and two circular polarization so the complete polarization picture. Oh and they have 12 color components. Oh and trinocular vision
