Abstract
The phylogenetic position of crocodilians in relation to birds and mammals makes them an interesting animal model for investigating the evolution of the nervous system in amniote vertebrates. A few neuroanatomical atlases are available for reptiles, but with a growing interest in these animals within the comparative neurosciences, a need for these anatomical reference templates is becoming apparent. With the advent of MRI being used more frequently in comparative neuroscience, the aim of this study was to create a three-dimensional MRI-based atlas of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) brain to provide a common reference template for the interpretation of the crocodilian, and more broadly reptilian, brain. Ex vivo MRI acquisitions in combination with histological data were used to delineate crocodilian brain areas at telencephalic, diencephalic, mesencephalic, and rhombencephalic levels. A total of 50 anatomical structures were successfully identified and outlined to create a 3-D model of the Nile crocodile brain. The majority of structures were more readily discerned within the forebrain of the crocodile with the methods used to produce this atlas. The anatomy outlined herein corresponds with both classical and recent crocodilian anatomical analyses, barring a few areas of contention predominantly related to a lack of functional data and conflicting nomenclature.
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Notes
*Reptile refers to non-avian reptiles.
Abbreviations
- 3 V:
-
3rd ventricle
- AS:
-
Anterior septum
- CNIII:
-
Cranial nerve 3 (occulomotor nerve)
- CNIV:
-
Cranial nerve 4 (trochlear nerve)
- CO:
-
Chiasma opticum
- CP:
-
Posterior commissure
- D:
-
Nucleus diagonalis
- dADVR:
-
Dorsal anterior dorsal ventricular ridge
- DBB:
-
Diagonal band of brocca
- DC:
-
Dorsal cortex
- DMA/DLA:
-
Dorsal thalamic nuclei (medial and lateral)
- dStr:
-
Dorsal striatum
- E:
-
Entopallium
- Field L:
-
Field L
- Fim:
-
Fimbria
- GLDd:
-
Dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus
- GLv:
-
Ventral lateral geniculate nucleus
- Hb:
-
Habenula
- HC:
-
Hippocampal commissure
- Hp:
-
Hippocampus
- Hyp:
-
Hypothalamus
- I:
-
Isthmic nuclei
- LC:
-
Lateral cortex
- LFB:
-
Lateral forebrain bundle
- LoC:
-
Locus coeruleus
- LS:
-
Lateral septum
- LV:
-
Lateral ventricle
- MC:
-
Medialis complex nuclei
- MFB:
-
Medial forebrain bundle
- ML:
-
Mesencephalic lentiform nucleus
- MS:
-
Medial septum
- nBOR:
-
Basal optic root nucleus
- nDCP:
-
Dorsal posterior commissure nucleus
- nVd:
-
Nucleus et tractus descendens nervi trigemini
- OT:
-
Optic tract
- ov:
-
Nucleus ovalis
- PAG:
-
Periaqueductal gray
- PDVR:
-
Posterior dorsal ventricular ridge
- Prim.Hp:
-
Primordial hippocampus
- Re:
-
Nucleus reuniens
- RF:
-
Posterior reticular formation
- Rt:
-
Nucleus rotundus
- SM:
-
Stria medullaris
- TeO:
-
Optic tectum
- TOL:
-
Lateral olfactory tract nucleus
- TS:
-
Torus semicircularis
- TU:
-
Olfactory tuberculum
- vADVR:
-
Ventral anterior dorsal ventricular ridge
- vStr:
-
Ventral striatum
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Acknowledgements
Animal imaging was conducted at the Ruhr-University Bochum Imaging Centre. The research was supported in part by National Research Foundation of South Africa Thuthuka Grant (TTK14051567366) to BKB and through Gu227/16–1 to OG and SFB 874 (B5, 122679504).
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The crocodile used in this study was treated and used according to the guidelines of the University of the Witwatersrand Animal Ethics Committee, which parallel those of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) for the care and use of animals in scientific experimentation. The ethical clearance number for the project: 2015/06/25/A, the ordinary permit number: 029562, and the CITES export clearance number: 152535 were certified and issued by the relevant governmental authorities in South Africa. The German import clearance number: E-04349/15 was issued by the Bundesamt für Naturschutz (German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation).
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Billings, B.K., Behroozi, M., Helluy, X. et al. A three-dimensional digital atlas of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) forebrain. Brain Struct Funct 225, 683–703 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-020-02028-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-020-02028-3