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Cited by 79Evolution and Paleontology StudiesMorphological variations and asymmetryPrimate Behavior and Ecology

Comparative analyses of evolutionary rates reveal different pathways to encephalization in bats, carnivorans, and primates

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Smaers, Jeroen B., Dechmann, Dina K. N., Goswami, Anjali, Soligo, Christophe, Safi, Kamran·2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1212181109PMC PMC3497830
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Abstract

Variation in relative brain size is commonly interpreted as the result of selection on neuronal capacity. However, this approach ignores that relative brain size is also linked to another highly adaptive variable: body size. Considering that one-way tradeoff mechanisms are unlikely to provide satisfactory evolutionary explanations, we introduce an analytical framework that describes and quantifies all possible evolutionary scenarios between two traits. To investigate the effects of body mass changes on the interpretation of relative brain size evolution, we analyze three mammalian orders that are expected to be subject to different selective pressures on body size due to differences in locomotor adaptation: bats (powered flight), primates (primarily arboreal), and carnivorans (primarily terrestrial). We quantify rates of brain and body mass changes along individual branches of phylogenetic trees using an adaptive peak model of evolution. We find that the magnitude and variance of the level of integration of brain and body mass rates, and the subsequent relative influence of either brain or body size evolution on the brain–body relationship, differ significantly between orders and subgroups within orders. Importantly, we find that variation in brain–body relationships was driven primarily by variability in body mass. Our approach allows a more detailed interpretation of correlated trait evolution and variation in the underlying evolutionary pathways. Results demonstrate that a principal focus on interpreting relative brain size evolution as selection on neuronal capacity confounds the effects of body mass changes, thereby hiding important aspects that may contribute to explaining animal diversity.

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  • Allometric approaches confound the different evolutionary scenarios (in terms of patterns of increase/decrease between two traits) that underlie allometric residuals.

    “and confound the different evolutionary scenarios (in terms of patterns of increase/decrease between two traits) that underlie allometric residuals [7].”

    From Brain reorganization, not relative brain size, primarily characterizes anthropoid brain evolution (2013) · cites this paper as [7]

  • Allometric approaches fail to reveal the temporal origin and rate of evolutionary changes taking place on individual branches of the tree of life covered by the sample.

    “Allometric approaches further fail to reveal the temporal origin and rate of evolutionary changes taking place on individual branches of the tree of life covered by the sample”

    From Brain reorganization, not relative brain size, primarily characterizes anthropoid brain evolution (2013) · cites this paper as [7]

  • The novel comparative approach employed allows inferring the temporal origin, rate and process of evolutionary changes for all individual lineages of the tree of life covering the sample.

    “The novel comparative approach we employ allows inferring the temporal origin, rate and process of evolutionary changes for all individual lineages of the tree of life covering the sample [7].”

    From Brain reorganization, not relative brain size, primarily characterizes anthropoid brain evolution (2013) · cites this paper as [7]

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Authors
Smaers, J. B., Dechmann, D. K. N., Goswami, A., Soligo, C., & Safi, K.
Affiliations
  • University College London (GB)
  • Max Planck Society (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2012-10-15
Volume
109
Issue
44
Pages
18006-18011
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1212181109
PMC
PMC3497830
OpenAlex
W2075595607
Cited by
79
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8
FWCI
4.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Natural Environment Research Council (NE/H022937/1)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Geometry and Topology › Morphological variations and asymmetry
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Keywords
encephalization, relative brain size, brain-body size relationship, body mass evolution, evolutionary rates, bats, Carnivora, primates, locomotor adaptation, phylogenetic comparative analysis
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Carnivora, Chiroptera, Biological Evolution, Locomotion, Phylogeny, Primates

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