Table 2 PGLS models selected by BIC comparison that best predict the evolution of encephalization for (A) the order Carnivora, (B) the suborders Caniformia and Feliformia, and for (C) the Canidae, Felidae and Mustelidae families.

From: The impact of environmental factors on the evolution of brain size in carnivorans

A- “Group size” & “Social complexity” analyses (same results)

Carnivora (N = 124)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.19

3.31

0.001**

Geographic range

0.01

−3.95

<0.001***

Home range

0.01

2.52

0.013*

 Model summary: λ = 0.73, R² = 0.118, p < 0.001***

B- “Group size” & “Social complexity” analyses (same results)

Caniformia suborder (N = 71)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.23

2.15

0.035*

Geographic range

0.01

−2.81

0.006**

Home range

0.01

3.43

0.001**

Hibernation (no)

0.07

3.64

<0.001***

 Model summary: λ = 0, R² = 0.28, p < 0.001***

B-“Group size” & “Social complexity” analyses (same results)

Feliformia suborder (N = 53)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

1

2.16

0.035*

Temperature

0.003

−2.30

0.026*

 Model summary: λ = 0.85, R² = 0.07, p = 0.03*

C-“Group size” & “Social complexity” analyses (same results)

Canidae family (N = 23)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.25

3.78

0.001**

Geographic range

0.02

−3.21

0.004**

Home range

0.02

2.49

0.021*

 Model summary: λ = 0, R² = 0.32, p = 0.008**

C-“Group size” & “Social complexity” analyses (same results)

Felidae family (N = 24)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.52

2.83

0.0097**

Geographic range

0.03

−2.69

0.013*

 Model summary: λ = 0.94, R² = 0.21, p = 0.01**

C-“Group size” analysis

Mustelidae family (N = 27)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.78

−2.55

0.018*

Litter size

0.01

−4.13

<0.001***

Temperature

0.003

3.13

0.005**

Group size

0.007

−1.75

0.0936536.

 Model summary: λ = 1, R² = 0.49, p < 0.001***

C-“Social complexity” analysis

Mustelidae family (N = 27)

Predictor

SE

t

p

Intercept

0.79

−2.97

0.007**

Litter size

0.02

−3.72

0.001**

Temperature

0.003

3.48

0.002**

 Model summary: λ = 1, R² = 0.45, p < 0.001***

  1. For each taxonomic group, we conducted two separated analyses with either the “Social complexity” or the “Group size” as social predictors. Asterisks indicate the level of significance of p-values (*<0.05; **<0.01 and ***<0.001 respectively).
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