Definition
Convergent evolution describes the analogous (as opposed to homologous) acquisition of similar traits in phylogenetically diverse species facing similar selection pressures. Corvids and primates are often observed to exhibit highly intelligent behavior (with intelligence typically operationalized in this context as those behaviors that indicate the presence of advanced capacities once thought unique to humans or cognitive capacities which surpass those of humans). This led Emery and Clayton (2004) to identify primates and corvids as a case of convergent evolution of intelligence, citing the two groups’ capacity for causal reasoning, cognitive flexibility, imagination, and prospection as the key ingredients of a shared cognitive toolkit.
Introduction
Primates and corvids comprise some of the most enigmatic study species in the field of comparative...
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Sulikowski, D. (2020). Convergent Evolution of Intelligence Between Corvids and Primates. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3107-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3107-1
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