Subdivisions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) evolved at different times. Agranular parts of the
PFC emerged in early mammals, and rodents, primates, and other modern mammals share …

Morphological allometry refers to patterns of covariance between body parts resulting from
variation in body size. Whether measured during growth (ontogenetic allometry), among …

The social brain hypothesis posits that social complexity is the primary driver of primate
cognitive complexity, and that social pressures ultimately led to the evolution of the large …

Urbanisation exposes wildlife to new challenging conditions and environmental pressures.
Some mammalian species have adapted to these novel environments, but it remains …

When did the first vertebrates emerge, and how did they differ from their invertebrate
ancestors? When did vertebrates evolve jaws, paired fins, pattern vision, or a neocortex …

Trait databases have become important resources for large-scale comparative studies in
ecology and evolution. Here we introduce the AnimalTraits database, a curated database of …

The allometric relationship between brain and body size among vertebrates is often
considered a manifestation of evolutionary constraints. However, birds and mammals have …

The emergence of Cetacea in the Paleogene represents one of the most profound
macroevolutionary transitions within Mammalia. The move from a terrestrial habitat to a …

Encephalization, or brain expansion, underpins humans' sophisticated social cognition,
including language, joint attention, shared goals, teaching, consensus decision-making and …

The multiple skeletal components of the skull originate asynchronously and their
developmental schedule varies across amniotes. Here we present the embryonic …