Anatomy and Evolution of Avian Brain and Senses: What Endocasts Can Tell Us

DEGRANGE, FEDERICO JAVIER; CARRIL, JULIETA; DE MENDOZA RICARDO S.; DEMMEL FERREIRA, MARÍA MANUELA; TAMBUSSI, CLAUDIA PATRICIA

Paleoneurology of Amniotes: New Directions in the Study of Fossil Endocasts

Springer

Año: 2022; p. 333 - 364

rain morphology has become a key element to predict a wide array of cognitive and behavioral, sensory and motor abilities, and to determine evolutionary rates of phenotypic transformation. Our information on early bird brain morphology comes of natural endocasts or studies of the intracranial cavity. Although the first studies of fossil bird brains were published almost two centuries ago, there is still relatively little known about the avian brain and its evolution compared with other groups such as mammals. This is due primarily to the fact that few three-dimensionally preserved skulls of early birds are recognized. The avian brain occupies the entire intracranial cavity, so that it is possible to reconstruct high-quality 3D virtual endocast models that can be used as excellent proxies for both volume and morphology of the brain. This technique has driven advances in avian paleoneurology from 2000 onwards. In this chapter, we provide a holistic view of the main features of the avian brain and senses, its disparity and potential use in paleobiological inferences, and discuss the main changes across the transition from non-avian theropods to derived Neornithes.