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Reconstructing the behaviors of extinct species: An excursion into comparative paleoneurology
Author(s) -
Rogers Scott W.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.064
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1552-4833
pISSN - 1552-4825
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.a.30538
Subject(s) - creatures , endocast , extinct species , living fossil , fossil record , biology , evolutionary biology , mythology , excursion , environmental ethics , tree of life (biology) , paleontology , ecology , history , zoology , phylogenetics , philosophy , natural (archaeology) , extant taxon , classics , biochemistry , gene , skull , political science , law
How can the behavior of an extinct species be reconstructed—say a dinosaur such as Allosaurus? Despite the relatively abundant fossilized remains of this and other dinosaurs, the incompleteness of the fossil record has permitted room for considerable speculation, mythology, and perhaps a bit of unsettling reflection on what factors contributed to the eventual fate of these remarkably successful animals. Among the speculations is how these ‘bigger‐than‐life’ creatures behaved, a topic that itself can attain equal diversity and grandeur. With recent advancements in measuring the relatedness of living organisms, how genetics contribute to brain development and how this relates to behavior, combined with the availability of newly discovered high quality fossils and imaging methods to exploit their secrets, novel insights into how extinct creatures such as Allosaurus intermingled with its many relatives over 100 million years ago are beginning to emerge. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.