Absolute, not relative brain size correlates with sociality in ground squirrels

Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F16%3A10324030" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/16:10324030 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/60076658:12310/16:43890643
Result on the web
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2725" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2725</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2725" target="_blank" >10.1098/rspb.2015.2725</a>

Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Absolute, not relative brain size correlates with sociality in ground squirrels
Original language description
The social brain hypothesis (SBH) contends that cognitive demands associated with living in cohesive social groups favour the evolution of large brains. Although the correlation between relative brain size and sociality reported in various groups of birds and mammals provides broad empirical support for this hypothesis, it has never been tested in rodents, the largest mammalian order. Here, we test the predictions of the SBH in the ground squirrels from the tribe Marmotini. These rodents exhibit levels of sociality ranging from solitary and single-family female kin groups to egalitarian polygynous harems but feature similar ecologies and life-history traits. We found little support for the association between increase in sociality and increase in relative brain size. Thus, sociality does not drive the evolution of encephalization in this group of rodents, a finding inconsistent with the SBH. However, body mass and absolute brain size increase with sociality. These findings suggest that increased social complexity in the ground squirrels goes hand in hand with larger body mass and brain size, which are tightly coupled to each other.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Type
J<sub>x</sub> - Unclassified - Peer-reviewed scientific article (Jimp, Jsc and Jost)
CEP classification
EG - Zoology
OECD FORD branch
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Project
Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year
2016
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

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