Conclusions
Here, we find novel evidence that brain size changes seasonally in two
wild populations of a top-predator teleost fish. The whole brain and
telencephalon sizes were smaller in spring and summer, while the other
brains regions investigated were only smaller in the spring. These
distinct seasonal cycles could subserve different functions associated
with differential habitat use during cold and warm seasons, and
differential energetic allocation of resources between tissues in
support of foraging and growth in the spring. Further investigation will
be needed to elucidate the mechanisms that drive seasonal variation in
brain size and to identify the specific roles that this phenomenon plays
in the regulation of fish behavior and physiology.
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