Are external head measurements a reliable predictor of brain size in the Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)?

cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0002-0683-4001
cris.virtual.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtual.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0002-4989-1524
cris.virtual.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtualsource.author-orcidb33fabdb-3593-4e3c-a134-1f45d50223b8
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtualsource.author-orcida28cb160-17dc-454c-a01e-fa082e2acbf4
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
dc.abstract.enComparative research conducted during the past two decades revealed ecological and evolutionary consequences of interspecies differences in relation to brain size. However, relatively much fewer studies have focused on intraspecific variation in brain sizes. This may arise from the lack of a reliable and universal methodology to estimate brain size that can be employed in wild populations in vivo and in a minimally invasive manner. Here, we assessed whether variation in brain mass of Common Quails (Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)) was predicted by external measurements of the head. Contrary to previous work, we found that the height of the head and not the volume of the head was the best predictor of brain mass in the Common Quail. However, we found that the height of the head explained only a relatively small proportion of variance in brain masses (i.e., 74.4%). Our data suggest that the external measurements of the head may not represent a universally applicable methodology to estimate brain sizes in birds and should, therefore, be used cautiously and validated for the studied species.
dc.affiliationWydział Medycyny Weterynaryjnej i Nauk o Zwierzętach
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra Zoologii
dc.contributor.authorBiałas, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorMarasco, Valeria
dc.contributor.authorFusani, Leonida
dc.contributor.authorPola, Gianni
dc.contributor.authorTobółka, Marcin
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-04T09:58:14Z
dc.date.available2025-09-04T09:58:14Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstract<jats:p> Comparative research conducted during the past two decades revealed ecological and evolutionary consequences of interspecies differences in relation to brain size. However, relatively much fewer studies have focused on intraspecific variation in brain sizes. This may arise from the lack of a reliable and universal methodology to estimate brain size that can be employed in wild populations in vivo and in a minimally invasive manner. Here, we assessed whether variation in brain mass of Common Quails ( Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)) was predicted by external measurements of the head. Contrary to previous work, we found that the height of the head and not the volume of the head was the best predictor of brain mass in the Common Quail. However, we found that the height of the head explained only a relatively small proportion of variance in brain masses (i.e., 74.4%). Our data suggest that the external measurements of the head may not represent a universally applicable methodology to estimate brain sizes in birds and should, therefore, be used cautiously and validated for the studied species. </jats:p>
dc.description.bibliographyil., bibliogr.
dc.description.financepublication_nocost
dc.description.financecost0,00
dc.description.if1,0
dc.description.number1
dc.description.points70
dc.description.volume101
dc.identifier.doi10.1139/cjz-2022-0091
dc.identifier.eissn1480-3283
dc.identifier.issn0008-4301
dc.identifier.urihttps://sciencerep.up.poznan.pl/handle/item/4628
dc.languageen
dc.relation.ispartofCanadian Journal of Zoology
dc.relation.pages46-51
dc.rightsClosedAccess
dc.sciencecloudnosend
dc.subject.encommon quail
dc.subject.enCoturnix coturnix
dc.subject.enexternal head dimensions
dc.subject.enskull
dc.subject.enbrain weight
dc.subject.enhead volume
dc.subtypeScientificCommunication
dc.titleAre external head measurements a reliable predictor of brain size in the Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)?
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue1
oaire.citation.volume101