On the relation between the quantity of brain and the size of the body in vertebrates / by Eugène Dubois ; [communicated by H. Zwaardemaker].

  • Dubois, Eugène, 1858-1940.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: On the relation between the quantity of brain and the size of the body in vertebrates / by Eugène Dubois ; [communicated by H. Zwaardemaker]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    is more closely allied with the European Landfrog than with the Waterfrog. The similarity in the modus of living with the latter has no influence in this respect. The following calcidations of/r for some Amphibia prove indeed that other factors are predominant there. Valuable evidence for the calculation of the exponent of correlation for this class might be obtained from the Japanese or the American Gigantic Salamander (Megalobatrachns maximns and Cryptobranchus Alleghaniensis). The former is certainly more than 100 times heavier than the Spotted Landsalamander, and surpasses the Crested or Great Newt more than 400 times in weight. But, as far as I know, this evidence does not exist. If we admit for Amphibia the same exponent of correlation as for the three highest classes of Vertebrates, then we find the following values for k. S E k I. Waterfrog (Rana esculenta) (aver.) 44.5 G. 0.106 G. 0.0127 2. Leopard Frog (Rana virescens) (5) 73.35 0.153 0.0138 Bullfrog (Rana Catesbyana) (6) 244.4 0.204 0.0094 4. Landfrog (Rana fusca) (aver.) 53.0 0.088 0.0095 y. Common Toad (Bufo vulgaris) (aver.) 44.5 0.073 0.0087 6. Shackletoad (Alytes obstetricans) (aver.) 7.7 0.041 0.0131 7. Treefrog (Hyla arborea) (aver.) 4.8 0.043 0.0179 8. Spotted Landsalamander (Salamandra maculosa) (1) 24.88 0.047 0.0078 9. Great Water-Newt (Triton crislatus) (2) ') 7.46 0.019 0.0062 The comparatively high value of k in the two first mentioned species, likewise in Alytes obstetricans and especially in the Treefrog, has evidently some relation with a higher organisation of the nervous system, and not with the surroundings in which the animals live. Rana Catesbyana lives, as likewise R. esculenta and R. virescens, in water, ranks however near to R. fusca, the Landfrog. The deviation of k in this respect is in the latter analogous with 1) N'. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 are borrowed from Lapicque and Laugier (l.c.); 2 and 3 from Donaldson (Journal of Comparative Neurology. Vol. 10 (1900), p. 121 [the 5 largest Rana virescens (-,^)], Journal of Comparative Neurology. Vol. 8. (1898), p. 330. Decennial Publications. Chicago. Vol. 10. (1902), p. 7 [the 6 largest Rana CatesbyanaJ; 8 and 9 from Welcker-Brandt (l.c., p. 57 and 58j.