Brain scaling and diversity in musteloids

Abstract

The diversity of brain size and organization across mammals reflects how evolutionary and ecological pressures have shaped neural architecture through time. Yet, how these selective pressures translated into measurable variation in the proportions and overall shape of the brain across species remains poorly understood. In this study, we used high-resolution virtual endocasts from 41 musteloid species (e.g. otters, skunks, raccoons) to quantify variation in endocranial composition and shape. We analyzed both the complete endocast and its principal subdivisions (olfactory bulbs, cerebrum, and hindbrain) using a combination of compositional data analysis and 3D geometric morphometrics. Phylogenetically informed regressions (PGLS) and model comparisons were used to assess the effects of endocranial size, locomotion, diet, and taxonomy on both the regional proportions and the overall shape of the endocranial cast. Musteloid brain organization is mostly driven by size-dependent scaling: larger brains have enlarged cerebra, reduced olfactory and hindbrain regions, and rounder endocasts. However, some lineages markedly deviate from this largely conserved allometry: otters (Lutrinae) exhibit proportionally enlarged cerebra and strongly reduced olfactory bulbs, whereas skunks (Mephitidae) show the reverse pattern, emphasizing enhanced olfactory investment. Feeding ecology also contributes to variation in brain organization, as piscivores show disproportionately smaller olfactory bulbs compared with other feeding guilds. In contrast, locomotor mode has little explanatory power for either endocranial composition or shape. Brain evolution in musteloids is therefore not uniform: a common scaling pattern dominates, but lineage-and diet-specific adjustments modify how brain regions are proportioned.