Endocranial volume increases across captive generations in the endangered Mexican wolf.

ABSTRACT: Endangered animals in captivity may display reduced brain sizes due to captive conditions and limited genetic diversity. Captive diets, for example, may differ in nutrition and texture, altering cranial musculature and alleviating constraints on cranial shape development. Changes in brain size are associated with biological fitness, which may limit reintroduction success. Little is known about how changes in brain size progress in highly managed carnivoran populations and whether such traits are retained among reintroduced populations. Here, we measured the endocranial volume of preserved Mexican wolf skulls across captive generations and between captive, wild, and reintroduced populations and assessed endocranial volume dependence on inbreeding and cranial musculature. Endocranial volume

SUBMITTER: Siciliano-Martina L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9114419 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature