Primary data on skull and brain morphology for: Geographical patterns in seasonal changes of body mass, skull, and brain size of common shrews

Some small mammals exhibit Dehnel’s Phenomenon, a drastic decrease in body mass, braincase and brain size from summer to winter, followed by regrowth in spring. This is accompanied by a reorganization of the brain and changes in other organs. The evolutionary link between these changes and seasonality remains unclear, although the intensity of change varies between locations as the phenomenon is thought to lead to energy savings during winter. Here we explored geographic variation of the intensity of Dehnel’s Phenomenon in Sorex araneus. We compiled literature on seasonal changes in braincase size, brain and body mass, supplemented by our own data from Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. We analysed the effect of geographic and climate variables on the intensity of change and patterns of brain reorganization. From summer to winter the braincase height decreased by 13%, followed by 10% regrowth in spring. For body mass the changes were -21%/+82%, respectively. Changes in...部分小型哺乳动物会表现出德恩尔现象（Dehnel’s Phenomenon）：即从夏季到冬季，其体重、颅腔及脑容量会显著缩减，随后在春季出现恢复性生长。该过程伴随大脑结构重塑以及其他器官的相应变化。尽管该现象被认为可帮助动物在冬季节约能量，但其变化强度存在地域差异，且这类变化与季节节律之间的进化关联至今仍不明确。 本研究以普通鼩鼱（Sorex araneus）为对象，探究了其德恩尔现象强度的地理变异模式。我们搜集了关于颅腔大小、脑容量及体重季节性变化的相关文献，并补充了来自波兰、德国与捷克共和国的自有实验数据。 我们分析了地理与气候变量对变化强度以及大脑重塑模式的影响。 夏季至冬季期间，颅腔高度降低13%，春季则恢复10%。 体重的变化幅度则分别为-21%与+82%。相关变化方面……