Abstract
We do not yet know why larger bodied species of mammals, birds, and reptiles have larger brains. The evolutionary perspective on this problem is that species evolve to have brains that result in maximal reproductive success. This argument is based on two premises. First, there must be heritable variation in brain mass among the individuals of a species. Second, there must also be differential reproductive success among individuals according to differences in brain mass. Without controlled laboratory experiments, which are for the most part impractical, evolutionary biologists typically use cross species variation, which can be viewed as the outcome of a series of natural experiments: different species have evolved in response to environments in which different selective forces are preeminent. Relationships between variables such as brain mass, body mass, and ecological habits can help us to understand their functional significance, where function is interpreted in an evolutionary or adaptive sense.
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Harvey, P.H., Pagel, M.D., Krieger, J., McEwen, B.S., Südhof, T.C. (1992). S. In: Smith, B., Adelman, G. (eds) Neuroscience Year. Supplement Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6754-1_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6754-1_15
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA
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