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journal article Apr 28, 2022

Scaling patterns of cerebellar petrosal lobules in Euarchontoglires: Impacts of ecology and phylogeny

Madlen M. Lang Ornella C. Bertrand ORCID Gabriela San Martin‐Flores Chris J. Law Jade Abdul‐Sater Shayda Spakowski Mary T. Silcox
The Anatomical Record Vol. 305 No. 12 pp. 3472-3503 · Wiley
View at Publisher Save 10.1002/ar.24929
Abstract
AbstractThe petrosal lobules (in whole or part homologous with the paraflocculi) of the cerebellum regulate functions associated with vision including smooth pursuit and velocity control of eye movements, suggesting a possible relationship between the petrosal lobules and behavioral adaptation. Previous studies have produced diverging conclusions regarding the lobules' ecological signal. The current study examines lobule scaling within an ecologically diverse but phylogenetically constrained sample of extant mammals to determine whether ecology influences relative petrosal lobule size. Using the endocasts of 140 Euarchontoglires (Primates, Scandentia, Dermoptera, Lagomorpha, Rodentia), petrosal lobule size was evaluated relative to endocranium and body size, accounting for phylogenetic relationships and ecology (locomotor behavior, diet, activity pattern). Results show a strong positive relationship between lobule size and both endocranial volume and body mass. Phylogeny is a major factor in the scaling of the petrosal lobules, with significant differences in relative size identified between orders and suborders. Concerning ecology, fossorial taxa were found to have significantly smaller petrosal lobules relative to body mass compared to other locomotor groups across Euarchontoglires. The small lobules possessed by this group may reflect an adaptation related to reduced visual reliance. In contrast to previous research, no relationship was identified between relative lobule size and any other ecological variables. While variation in relative lobule size may be adaptively significant in some groups (i.e., fossorial species), it is critical to study the evolution of petrosal lobule size within a narrow phylogenetic scope, with inclusion of fossil material to inform our understanding of evolutionary trajectories.
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References
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Cited By
23
The brain endocast of the Canary Islands giant rats (Canariomys, Muridae, Rodentia): paleobiological and evolutionary implications

Flavien Vincent, Antoine Souron · 2025

Journal of Mammalian Evolution
Metrics
23
Citations
154
References
Details
Published
Apr 28, 2022
Vol/Issue
305(12)
Pages
3472-3503
License
View
Authors
M
Madlen M. Lang

Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada

O
Ornella C. Bertrand

School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh, Scotland UK

G
Gabriela San Martin‐Flores

Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering Bedford Park South Australia Australia

C
Chris J. Law

Richard Gilder Graduate School Department of Mammalogy, and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History New York New York USA; Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA; Department of Integrative Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA

J
Jade Abdul‐Sater

Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada

S
Shayda Spakowski

Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada

M
Mary T. Silcox

Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada

Funding
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Award: CGS‐M Award
Cite This Article
Madlen M. Lang, Ornella C. Bertrand, Gabriela San Martin‐Flores, et al. (2022). Scaling patterns of cerebellar petrosal lobules in Euarchontoglires: Impacts of ecology and phylogeny. The Anatomical Record, 305(12), 3472-3503. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24929
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