Comparative Brain Anatomy Assignment

Created Feb. 5, 2024 by Dan McCloskey

Comparative Brain Anatomy Assignment


You can sometimes tell a bit about our mammalian relatives by looking at their brains.  Brain complexity, more than just brain size, is an important indictor of intelligence. While the differences in complexity are too small to measure within a species (such as comparing two humans),  we can see vast differences in complexity, size and overall organization across species.


1. Check out the fascinating Comparative Mammalian Brain Collectionsmaintained by Wally Welker, John Irwin Johnson, Adrianne Noe. 


2. Choose two mammals from different species to compare.  Please stay away from humans and primates, as we have already discussed these in detail.


3. Summarize differences that you see in the organization of the brains.  How do they differ?  How are they similar?


4.  Note how the differences in brain organization relate to what you know about the behavior of this species.  Is there evidence of increased complexity related to intelligence in this case?




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