title: Brain shape convergence in the adaptive radiation of New World monkeys.
abstract: 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.
authors: División Antropología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
authors: Leandro
authors: L
authors: Aristide
authors: Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CEP 13.083-862 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil;
authors: Sergio Furtado
authors: SF
authors: dos Reis
authors: Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, CEP 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Alessandra C
authors: AC
authors: Machado
authors: Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, CEP 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Inaya
authors: I
authors: Lima
authors: Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, CEP 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Ricardo T
authors: RT
authors: Lopes
authors: División Antropología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; ivanperezmorea@gmail.com.
authors: S Ivan
authors: SI
authors: Perez
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009929:Organ Size; D010641:Phenotype; D051078:Platyrrhini / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Platyrrhini; adaptive evolution; comparative method; geometric morphometrics; primates