title: A new method for reconstructing brain morphology: applying the brain-neurocranial spatial relationship in an extant lungfish to a fossil endocast.
abstract: Lungfish first appeared in the geological record over 410 million years ago and are the closest living group of fish to the tetrapods. Palaeoneurological investigations into the group show that unlike numerous other fishes-but more similar to those in tetrapods-lungfish appear to have had a close fit between the brain and the cranial cavity that housed it. As such, researchers can use the endocast of fossil taxa (an internal cast of the cranial cavity) both as a source of morphological data but also to aid in developing functional and phylogenetic implications about the group. Using fossil endocast data from a three-dimensional-preserved Late Devonian lungfish from the Gogo Formation, Rhinodipterus, and the brain-neurocranial relationship in the extant Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus, we herein present the first virtually reconstructed brain of a fossil lungfish. Computed tomographic data and a newly developed 'brain-warping' method are used in conjunction with our own distance map software tool to both analyse and present the data. The brain reconstruction is adequate, but we envisage that its accuracy and wider application in other taxonomic groups will grow with increasing availability of tomographic datasets.
authors: Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Alice M
authors: 0000-0003-0380-7347
authors: AM
authors: Clement
authors: Centre for Image Analysis, Department of Information Technology , Uppsala University , Lägerhyddsvägen 2, 751 05 Uppsala , Sweden.
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Strand
authors: Centre for Image Analysis, Department of Information Technology , Uppsala University , Lägerhyddsvägen 2, 751 05 Uppsala , Sweden.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Nysjö
authors: Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, PO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia.
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Long
authors: Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre , Uppsala University , Norbyvägen 18A, 752 36 Uppsala , Sweden.
authors: Per E
authors: PE
authors: Ahlberg
keywords: Neoceratodus; Rhinodipterus; brain; endocast; microtomography; palaeoneurology