1
|
Nelson J, Woeste EM, Oba K, Bitterman K, Billings BK, Sacco J, Jacobs B, Sherwood CC, Manger PR, Spocter MA. Neuropil Variation in the Prefrontal, Motor, and Visual Cortex of Six Felids. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2024; 99:25-44. [PMID: 38354714 DOI: 10.1159/000537843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Felids have evolved a specialized suite of morphological adaptations for obligate carnivory. Although the musculoskeletal anatomy of the Felidae has been studied extensively, the comparative neuroanatomy of felids is relatively unexplored. Little is known about how variation in the cerebral anatomy of felids relates to species-specific differences in sociality, hunting strategy, or activity patterns. METHODS We quantitatively analyzed neuropil variation in the prefrontal, primary motor, and primary visual cortices of six species of Felidae (Panthera leo, Panthera uncia, Panthera tigris, Panthera leopardus, Acinonyx jubatus, Felis sylvestris domesticus) to investigate relationships with brain size, neuronal cell parameters, and select behavioral and ecological factors. Neuropil is the dense, intricate network of axons, dendrites, and synapses in the brain, playing a critical role in information processing and communication between neurons. RESULTS There were significant species and regional differences in neuropil proportions, with African lion, cheetah, and tiger having more neuropil in all three cortical regions in comparison to the other species. Based on regression analyses, we find that the increased neuropil fraction in the prefrontal cortex supports social and behavioral flexibility, while in the primary motor cortex, this facilitates the neural activity needed for hunting movements. Greater neuropil fraction in the primary visual cortex may contribute to visual requirements associated with diel activity patterns. CONCLUSION These results provide a cross-species comparison of neuropil fraction variation in the Felidae, particularly the understudied Panthera, and provide evidence for convergence of the neuroanatomy of Panthera and cheetahs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Nelson
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Erin M Woeste
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Ken Oba
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Kathleen Bitterman
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Brendon K Billings
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - James Sacco
- Ellis Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Bob Jacobs
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Muhammad A Spocter
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Peckre LR, Fabre AC, Wall CE, Pouydebat E, Whishaw IQ. Evolutionary History of food Withdraw Movements in Primates: Food Withdraw is Mediated by Nonvisual Strategies in 22 Species of Strepsirrhines. Evol Biol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-023-09598-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
|
3
|
Lang MM, Bertrand OC, San Martin Flores G, Law CJ, Abdul‐Sater J, Spakowski S, Silcox MT. Scaling Patterns of Cerebellar Petrosal Lobules in Euarchontoglires: Impacts of Ecology and Phylogeny. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:3472-3503. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Madlen M. Lang
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Ornella C. Bertrand
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh Scotland UK
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, Department of Mammalogy, and Division of Paleontology American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West New York NY
- Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle WA
- The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX
| | - Jade Abdul‐Sater
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Shayda Spakowski
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Mary T. Silcox
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Visual Acuity and the Evolution of Signals. Trends Ecol Evol 2018; 33:358-372. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
5
|
Peichl L, Kaiser A, Rakotondraparany F, Dubielzig RR, Goodman SM, Kappeler PM. Diversity of photoreceptor arrangements in nocturnal, cathemeral and diurnal Malagasy lemurs. J Comp Neurol 2017; 527:13-37. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leo Peichl
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research; Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience; Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Goethe University Frankfurt; Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Alexander Kaiser
- Department Biology II; Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich; Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg Germany
- Institute of Zoology; University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover; Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover Germany
| | - Felix Rakotondraparany
- Département de Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale; Université d’Antananarivo; BP 906, Antananarivo 101 Madagascar
| | - Richard R. Dubielzig
- School of Veterinary Medicine; University of Wisconsin; 2015 Linden Drive Madison Wisconsin 53706
| | - Steven M. Goodman
- The Field Museum of Natural History; 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Illinois 60605
- Association Vahatra; BP 3972, Antananarivo 101 Madagascar
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen Germany
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology; University Göttingen; Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Veilleux CC, Scarry CJ, Di Fiore A, Kirk EC, Bolnick DA, Lewis RJ. Group benefit associated with polymorphic trichromacy in a Malagasy primate (Propithecus verreauxi). Sci Rep 2016; 6:38418. [PMID: 27910919 PMCID: PMC5133583 DOI: 10.1038/srep38418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In some primate lineages, polymorphisms in the X-linked M/LWS opsin gene have produced intraspecific variation in color vision. In these species, heterozygous females exhibit trichromacy, while males and homozygous females exhibit dichromacy. The evolutionary persistence of these polymorphisms suggests that balancing selection maintains color vision variation, possibly through a 'trichromat advantage' in detecting yellow/orange/red foods against foliage. We identified genetic evidence of polymorphic trichromacy in a population of Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) at Kirindy Mitea National Park in Madagascar, and explored effects of color vision on reproductive success and feeding behavior using nine years of morphological, demographic, and feeding data. We found that trichromats and dichromats residing in social groups with trichromats exhibit higher body mass indices than individuals in dichromat-only groups. Additionally, individuals in a trichromat social group devoted significantly more time to fruit feeding and had longer fruit feeding bouts than individuals in dichromat-only groups. We hypothesize that, due to small, cohesive sifaka social groups, a trichromat advantage in detecting productive fruit patches during the energetically stressful dry season also benefits dichromats in a trichromat's group. Our results offer the first support for the 'mutual benefit of association' hypothesis regarding the maintenance of polymorphic trichromacy in primates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie C. Veilleux
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Clara J. Scarry
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - E. Christopher Kirk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Deborah A. Bolnick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Lewis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Melin AD, Wells K, Moritz GL, Kistler L, Orkin JD, Timm RM, Bernard H, Lakim MB, Perry GH, Kawamura S, Dominy NJ. Euarchontan Opsin Variation Brings New Focus to Primate Origins. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 33:1029-41. [PMID: 26739880 PMCID: PMC4776711 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Debate on the adaptive origins of primates has long focused on the functional ecology of the primate visual system. For example, it is hypothesized that variable expression of short- (SWS1) and middle-to-long-wavelength sensitive (M/LWS) opsins, which confer color vision, can be used to infer ancestral activity patterns and therefore selective ecological pressures. A problem with this approach is that opsin gene variation is incompletely known in the grandorder Euarchonta, that is, the orders Scandentia (treeshrews), Dermoptera (colugos), and Primates. The ancestral state of primate color vision is therefore uncertain. Here, we report on the genes (OPN1SW and OPN1LW) that encode SWS1 and M/LWS opsins in seven species of treeshrew, including the sole nocturnal scandentian Ptilocercus lowii. In addition, we examined the opsin genes of the Central American woolly opossum (Caluromys derbianus), an enduring ecological analogue in the debate on primate origins. Our results indicate: 1) retention of ultraviolet (UV) visual sensitivity in C. derbianus and a shift from UV to blue spectral sensitivities at the base of Euarchonta; 2) ancient pseudogenization of OPN1SW in the ancestors of P. lowii, but a signature of purifying selection in those of C. derbianus; and, 3) the absence of OPN1LW polymorphism among diurnal treeshrews. These findings suggest functional variation in the color vision of nocturnal mammals and a distinctive visual ecology of early primates, perhaps one that demanded greater spatial resolution under light levels that could support cone-mediated color discrimination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
| | - Konstans Wells
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Gillian L Moritz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
| | - Logan Kistler
- Departments of Anthropology and Biology, Pennsylvania State University School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph D Orkin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Robert M Timm
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Maklarin B Lakim
- Sabah Parks, Lot 45 & 46 KK Times Square Coastal Highway, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - George H Perry
- Departments of Anthropology and Biology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Shoji Kawamura
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Nathaniel J Dominy
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Department of Biological Sciences, Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Coimbra JP, Kaswera-Kyamakya C, Gilissen E, Manger PR, Collin SP. The Topographic Organization of Retinal Ganglion Cell Density and Spatial Resolving Power in an Unusual Arboreal and Slow-Moving Strepsirhine Primate, the Potto (Perodicticus potto). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2016; 87:4-18. [DOI: 10.1159/000443015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The potto (Perodicticus potto) is an arboreal strepsirhine found in the rainforests of central Africa. In contrast to most primates, the potto shows slow-moving locomotion over the upper surface of branches, where it forages for exudates and crawling invertebrates with its head held very close to the substrate. Here, we asked whether the retina of the potto displays topographic specializations in neuronal density that correlate with its unusual lifestyle. Using stereology and retinal wholemounts, we measured the total number and topographic distribution of retinal ganglion cells (total and presumed parasol), as well as estimating the upper limits of the spatial resolution of the potto eye. We estimated ∼210,000 retinal ganglion cells, of which ∼7% (∼14,000) comprise presumed parasol ganglion cells. The topographic distribution of both total and parasol ganglion cells reveals a concentric centroperipheral organization with a nasoventral asymmetry. Combined with the upwardly shifted orbits of the potto, this nasoventral increase in parasol ganglion cell density enhances contrast sensitivity and motion detection skywards, which potentially assists with the detection of predators in the high canopy. The central area of the potto occurs ∼2.5 mm temporal to the optic disc and contains a maximum ganglion cell density of ∼4,300 cells/mm2. We found no anatomical evidence of a fovea within this region. Using maximum ganglion cell density and eye size (∼14 mm), we estimated upper limits of spatial resolving power between 4.1 and 4.4 cycles/degree. Despite their reported reliance on olfaction to detect exudates, this level of spatial resolution potentially assists pottos with foraging for small invertebrates and in the detection of predators.
Collapse
|
9
|
Valenta K, Edwards M, Rafaliarison RR, Johnson SE, Holmes SM, Brown KA, Dominy NJ, Lehman SM, Parra EJ, Melin AD. Visual ecology of true lemurs suggests a cathemeral origin for the primate cone opsin polymorphism. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Valenta
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology University of Toronto 19 Russell St Toronto ON Canada
| | - Melissa Edwards
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto at Mississauga 3359 Mississauga Rd. North Mississauga QC Canada
| | | | - Steig E. Johnson
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology University of Calgary 2500 University Dr. NW. Calgary QC Canada
| | - Sheila M. Holmes
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology University of Calgary 2500 University Dr. NW. Calgary QC Canada
| | - Kevin A. Brown
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health University of Toronto 155 College St. Toronto QC Canada
| | | | - Shawn M. Lehman
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology University of Toronto 19 Russell St Toronto ON Canada
| | - Esteban J. Parra
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto at Mississauga 3359 Mississauga Rd. North Mississauga QC Canada
| | - Amanda D. Melin
- Department of Anthropology Washington University One Brookings Dr. St. Louis MO USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jones SM, Pearson J, DeWind NK, Paulsen D, Tenekedjieva AM, Brannon EM. Lemurs and macaques show similar numerical sensitivity. Anim Cogn 2014; 17:503-15. [PMID: 24068469 PMCID: PMC3966981 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-013-0682-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2012] [Revised: 09/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the precision of the approximate number system (ANS) in three lemur species (Lemur catta, Eulemur mongoz, and Eulemur macaco flavifrons), one Old World monkey species (Macaca mulatta) and humans (Homo sapiens). In Experiment 1, four individuals of each nonhuman primate species were trained to select the numerically larger of two visual arrays on a touchscreen. We estimated numerical acuity by modeling Weber fractions (w) and found quantitatively equivalent performance among all four nonhuman primate species. In Experiment 2, we tested adult humans in a similar procedure, and they outperformed the four nonhuman species but showed qualitatively similar performance. These results indicate that the ANS is conserved over the primate order.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Jones
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Veilleux CC, Kirk EC. Visual Acuity in Mammals: Effects of Eye Size and Ecology. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2014; 83:43-53. [DOI: 10.1159/000357830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
12
|
Veilleux CC, Jacobs RL, Cummings ME, Louis EE, Bolnick DA. Opsin Genes and Visual Ecology in a Nocturnal Folivorous Lemur. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
13
|
|
14
|
Veilleux CC, Lewis RJ. Effects of Habitat Light Intensity on Mammalian Eye Shape. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2011; 294:905-14. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.21368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Accepted: 01/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
15
|
Williams BA, Kay RF, Christopher Kirk E, Ross CF. Darwinius masillae is a strepsirrhine—a reply to Franzen et al. (2009). J Hum Evol 2010; 59:567-73; discussion 574-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2009] [Revised: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 11/02/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
16
|
Abstract
Adaptive shifts associated with human origins are brought to light as we examine the human fossil record and study our own genome and that of our closest ape relatives. However, the more ancient roots of many human characteristics are revealed through the study of a broader array of living anthropoids and the increasingly dense fossil record of the earliest anthropoid radiations. Genomic data and fossils of early primates in Asia and Africa clarify relationships among the major clades of primates. Progress in comparative anatomy, genomics, and molecular biology point to key changes in sensory ecology and brain organization that ultimately set the stage for the emergence of the human lineage.
Collapse
|