Floccular fossa size is not a reliable proxy of ecology and behaviour in vertebrates

Scientific Reports
S Ferreira-CardosoR Castanhinha

Abstract

The cerebellar floccular and parafloccular lobes are housed in fossae of the periotic region of the skull of different vertebrates. Experimental evidence indicates that the lobes integrate visual and vestibular information and control the vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibulo-collic reflex, smooth pursuit and gaze holding. Multiple paleoneuroanatomy studies have deduced the behaviour of fossil vertebrates by measuring the floccular fossae (FF). These studies assumed that there are correlations between FF volume and behaviour. However, these assumptions have not been fully tested. Here, we used micro-CT scans of extant mammals (47 species) and birds (59 species) to test six possible morphological-functional associations between FF volume and ecological/behavioural traits of extant animals. Behaviour and ecology do not explain FF volume variability in four out of six variables tested. Two variables with significant results require further empirical testing. Cerebellum plasticity may explain the lack of statistical evidence for the hypotheses tested. Therefore, variation in FF volume seems to be better explained by a combination of factors such as anatomical and phylogenetic evolutionary constraints, and further empirical testing is ...Continue Reading

References

Dec 21, 1989·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·A Grafen
Oct 1, 1988·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·P J GannonJ T Laitman
Oct 1, 1981·Journal of Neurophysiology·D S ZeeG Gücer
Jan 1, 1993·Brain, Behavior and Evolution·M G Paulin
Jul 30, 1999·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·A McVean
Jan 24, 2004·Die Naturwissenschaften·Graham MartinRaymond McNeil
Jan 30, 2004·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·Jan Voogd, Douglas R W Wylie
Jun 26, 2004·Annual Review of Neuroscience·Edward S BoydenJennifer L Raymond
Aug 6, 2004·Nature·Patricio Domínguez AlonsoTimothy B Rowe
Oct 6, 2005·The Anatomical Record. Part A, Discoveries in Molecular, Cellular, and Evolutionary Biology·Anton ReinerHarvey J Karten
Oct 14, 2005·Progress in Brain Research·Jan Voogd, Neal H Barmack
Jan 18, 2006·Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology·Ian Tattersall
Sep 5, 2006·Experimental Brain Research·Ines Kralj-HansMitchell Glickstein
Dec 12, 2007·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Andrew N IwaniukDouglas R W Wylie
Jun 28, 2008·Science·Shannon J HackettTamaki Yuri
Jul 25, 2008·Journal of Neurophysiology·Mark F WalkerDavid S Zee
Aug 4, 2009·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Fay B Horak
Aug 12, 2009·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Liam J Revell
Sep 2, 2009·Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution·Michael J Braun, Christopher J Huddleston
Dec 9, 2009·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Gabriel E A GartnerTheodore Garland
Aug 25, 2010·Brain, Behavior and Evolution·Christopher P Heesy, Margaret I Hall
Sep 1, 1998·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·M Ito
Sep 13, 2011·Frontiers in Neurology·Amir Kheradmand, David S Zee
Jul 5, 2013·PloS One·Stig A WalshPatricia Dello Sterpaio
Aug 2, 2013·Nature·Amy M BalanoffMark A Norell
Sep 5, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·K D Angielczyk, L Schmitz

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 31, 2020·Journal of Anatomy·Fabien Knoll, Soichiro Kawabe
Jul 11, 2020·Journal of Anatomy·J Logan KingJames M Neenan
Dec 14, 2018·Scientific Reports·Quentin MartinezPierre-Henri Fabre
Apr 14, 2021·Communications Biology·Ornella C BertrandStephen L Brusatte

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
X-ray
dotplots

Software Mentioned

Mesquite
R
nlme
MASS
ape
car
Amira

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.