Phenotypic integration of brain size and head morphology in Lake Tanganyika Cichlids.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Phenotypic integration among different anatomical parts of the head is a common phenomenon across vertebrates. Interestingly, despite centuries of research into the factors that contribute to the existing variation in brain size among vertebrates, little is known about the role of phenotypic integration in brain size diversification. Here we used geometric morphometrics on the morphologically diverse Tanganyikan cichlids to investigate phenotypic integration across key morphological aspects of the head. Then, while taking the effect of shared ancestry into account, we tested if head shape was associated with brain size while controlling for the potentially confounding effect of feeding strategy.

Results

The shapes of the anterior and posterior parts of the head we

SUBMITTER: Tsuboi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4015177 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature