Paleoneurology of Carnivora

• The order Carnivora is one of the most speciose mammalian groups with over 280 living species and well over 1000 known extinct species. Here we present an overview of the evolutionary history of the carnivoran brain drawn from 150 years of palaeoneurological research. We demonstrate that the basic sulcal pattern is similar across living carnivorans, which is as follows. In lateral aspect, the cerebrum consists of convolutions arranged in concentric arcs around the Sylvian sulcus that progressively increase in length. In the dorsal aspect of most living carnivorans, a cruciate sulcus is present at the anterior part of the cerebrum. Fossils of early carnivorans display a small cerebral cortex with limited gyrification. A progressive cortical expansion and a trend towards a more complex gyral pattern can be observed. The surface area of the cerebral cortex expanded independently several times in carnivoran evolution, coinciding with increasingly more complex sulcal patterns. Differences in cortical folding patterns distinguish various families of carnivorans. Somatosensory evolution led to the enlargement and elaboration of certain cortical areas. The evolution from a basal pattern to an array of differences in folding patterns and proportional size differences between cortical areas led to the variation we see today.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Zoologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Zoology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cerebral cortex

sulcal pattern

Gyrification

Brain size

Ecosystems and species history

Ekosystem och arthistoria

Diversity of life

Livets mångfald

The changing Earth

Den föränderliga jorden

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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