Cranial shape variation in domestication: a pilot study on the case of rabbits

Domestication leads to phenotypic characteristics that have been described to be similar across species. However, this ‘domestication syndrome’ has been subject to debate, related to a lack of evidence for certain characteristics in many species. Here, we review diverse literature and provide new data on cranial shape changes due to domestication in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a preliminary case study, thus contributing novel evidence to the debate. We quantified cranial shape of 30 wild and domestic rabbits using micro CT-scans and 3D geometric morphometrics. The goal was to test (1) if the domesticates exhibit shorter and broader snouts, smaller teeth, and smaller braincases than their wild counterparts; (2) to what extent allometric scaling is responsible for cranial shape variation in wild and domestic rabbits; (3) if there is evidence for more variation in the neural crest-derived parts of the cranium compared to those derived of the mesoderm, in accordance with the ‘neural crest hypothesis’. Our own data is consistent with older literature records, suggesting that while there is evidence for some cranial characteristics of the ‘domestication syndrome’ being present in domestic rabbits – e.g., concerning a diminution of braincase size –, facial length is not reduced. In accordance with the ‘neural crest hypothesis’, we found more shape variation in neural crest vs. mesoderm derived parts of the cranium. Within the domestic group, allometric scaling relationships of the snout, the braincase, and the teeth shed new light on ubiquitous patterns among related taxa. This study – albeit preliminary due to the limited sample size – adds to the growing evidence concerning non-uniform patterns associated with domestication.

Madeleine Geiger, Marcelo R. Sánchez, Villagra, Emma Sherratt