Mechanisms of social communication in caviomorph rodents

Francescoli, Gabriel; Nogueira, Selene Siqueira da Cunha; Schleich, Cristian E.

doi:10.1002/9781118846506.ch6

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…In contrast to squirrels that rely heavily on vision, it is possible that Incamys relied more heavily on hearing because of the lateral extension of the neocortex (location of the auditory cortex) and its potentially large caudal colliculi associated with better sound processing. Modern chinchillids live in colonies and communicate among members of a group using various calls (Francescoli et al 2016), and caudal colliculi have a role in processing vocalization (Klepper & Herbert 1991;Petersen & Hurley 2017). Therefore, this pattern observed in Incamys could be the first evidence of complex communication based on an endocranial structure, apart from the relative size of the brain and neocortex (Shultz & Dunbar 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Modern chinchillids live in colonies and communicate among members of a group using various calls (Francescoli et al . 2016), and caudal colliculi have a role in processing vocalization (Klepper & Herbert 1991; Petersen & Hurley 2017). Therefore, this pattern observed in Incamys could be the first evidence of complex communication based on an endocranial structure, apart from the relative size of the brain and neocortex (Shultz & Dunbar 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Modern chinchillids are very social animals that communicate via different calls. Specifically, Chinchillas have four types of vocalizations (Francescoli et al 2016). In rodents, including Chinchillas, the caudal colliculi are crucial for processing vocalization within a species (Klepper & Herbert 1991;Portfors & Sinex 2005;Petersen & Hurley 2017).…”

Section: Midbrain Exposure and Enhanced Auditory Acuitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The virtual brain endocast of Incamys bolivianus: insight from the neurosensory system into the adaptive radiation of South American rodents

Bertrand,

Lang,

Ferreira

et al. 2024

Papers in Palaeontology

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Caviomorph rodents are endemic to South America and are one of the most adaptively diverse radiations of rodents today. Although their origin and diversification have been intensively studied, questions still remain about many of the details of where, when and how the group radiated. One area of continuing debate relates to the evolution of their neurosensory system. Modern caviomorphs exhibit a rich brain shape and size diversity. So far the oldest species for which endocranial data are known is dated to the Early Miocene. Here, we describe the virtual brain endocast of the late Oligocene stem chinchillid Incamys bolivianus from Bolivia and provide new hypotheses regarding the ancestral brain of Chinchillidae and Caviomorpha more broadly. Caviomorph rodents, independent from other rodent clades, acquired an expanded neocortex and their common ancestor was probably lissencephalic or had few sulci. Incamys uniquely combines extended neocortical temporal lobes and exposed caudal colliculi, which have roles in audition and vocalization processing. We interpret this morphology as evidence for enhanced auditory acuity, vocalization processing and potentially group‐living in Incamys, which is known in modern members of the Chinchillidae family. No temporal effect was found on relative brain size in South American mammals; however, our sample is limited to available brain endocasts and as such remains small and unevenly distributed taxonomically and temporally. Incamys provides crucial insight into the evolution of the caviomorph brain and shows that we still have much to explore regarding how these small mammals achieved one the most impressive adaptive radiations of the Cenozoic.

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