Brain shape convergence in the adaptive radiation of New World monkeys

Primates constitute one of the most diverse mammalian clades, and a notable feature of their diversification is the evolution of brain morphology. However, the evolutionary processes and ecological factors behind these changes are largely unknown. In this work, we investigate brain shape diversifica...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 113; no. 8; pp. 2158 - 2163
Main Authors Aristide, Leandro, dos Reis, Sergio Furtado, Machado, Alessandra C., Lima, Inaya, Lopes, Ricardo T., Perez, S. Ivan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Academy of Sciences 23.02.2016
National Acad Sciences
Subjects
Adaptation
Adaptation, Biological
Animals
Biological Evolution
Biological Sciences
Brain
Brain - anatomy & histology
Brain - physiology
Ecosystem
Female
Male
Models, Anatomic
Models, Neurological
Monkeys & apes
Morphology
Organ Size
Phenotype
Platyrrhini - anatomy & histology
Platyrrhini - classification
Platyrrhini - physiology
Primates
Radiation
comparative method
primates
adaptive evolution
Platyrrhini
geometric morphometrics
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Summary:Primates constitute one of the most diverse mammalian clades, and a notable feature of their diversification is the evolution of brain morphology. However, the evolutionary processes and ecological factors behind these changes are largely unknown. In this work, we investigate brain shape diversification of New World monkeys during their adaptive radiation in relation to different ecological dimensions. Our results reveal that brain diversification in this clade can be explained by invoking a model of adaptive peak shifts to unique and shared optima, defined by a multidimensional ecological niche hypothesis. Particularly, we show that the evolution of convergent brain phenotypes may be related to ecological factors associated with group size (e.g., social complexity). Together, our results highlight the complexity of brain evolution and the ecological significance of brain shape changes during the evolutionary diversification of a primate clade.
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Author contributions: L.A. and S.I.P. designed research; L.A. and S.I.P. performed research; A.C.M., I.L., and R.T.L. performed image acquisition; S.F.d.R., A.C.M., I.L., and R.T.L. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; L.A. and S.I.P. analyzed data; and L.A., S.F.d.R., and S.I.P. wrote the paper.
Edited by Chet C. Sherwood, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, and accepted by the Editorial Board January 6, 2016 (received for review July 22, 2015)
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1514473113