Regional brain morphometry and lissencephaly in the Sirenia

Neuroanatomical structure was examined in the brains of West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) using computer-based morphometric methods. Although manatees have a small relative brain size, volume estimates of the major brain regions indicate that the telencephalon comprises 71% of total brain volume and is 90% cerebral cortex. These values are comparable to those seen among a diversity of taxa having large relative brain size, including many primates. Manatee brains also exhibit well-defined cortical lamination. The measured gyration index (an index of cortical folding) was 1.06, representing a highly lissencephalic condition. These findings demonstrate that small relative brain size and lissencephaly do not constrain the elaboration of internal brain structures. The marked lissencephalic condition is unusual for brains of this absolute size range, and may be related to the thickness of the cortical gray matter and underlying white matter.