A Comparative Volumetric Analysis of Amygdala Nuclei and Socio-Ecological Variables Across Felidae
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Examination of variation in the volumetric organization of amygdala nuclei across Felidae provides critical insights into the neurobiological substrates underlying sociality and predatory behavior. While felids are traditionally regarded as predominantly solitary, species-specific differences in their ecological and social adaptations may be reflected in amygdala anatomy. This study employs a comparative volumetric analysis of four amygdala subregions—the anterior lateral amygdala (ALA), anterior basal amygdala (ABL), anterior medial amygdala (ABM), and central amygdala (CeA)—across 10 felid species, integrating a phylogenetically informed sociality matrix to interrogate species-specific neural variation.Results demonstrate a robust positive correlation between amygdala volume and whole brain volume (R² = 0.8763, p < 0.001) and find the allometric patterns of amygdala nuclei, underscoring the conserved scaling principles of subcortical structures. Phylogenetic principal component analysis reveals significant variation in amygdala nuclei proportions, with trophic level exerting a pronounced effect on ALA proportion (p < 0.01), implicating its role in predatory specialization. In addition, felids as a group exhibit an expanded ALA relative to other amygdala nuclei, mirroring trends observed in Homo sapiens and suggesting potential convergent evolution in sensory integration and decision-making circuits. These findings challenge the prevailing paradigm of felids as strictly asocial, instead demonstrating that neural architecture is shaped by a complex interplay of ecological pressures, predatory demands, and social structures. This study provides a novel framework for investigating the neurobiological substrates of behavioral complexity in carnivores, advancing comparative neuroscience by elucidating the evolutionary and functional significance of amygdala structural variation across taxa.
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