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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