List of animals by number of neurons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of representative animals by the number of neurons in their whole nervous system and the number of neurons in their brain (for those which have a brain). These numbers are estimates derived by multiplying the density of neurons in a particular animal by the average volume of the animal's brain.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Neurons are the cells which transmit information in the nervous system of an animal so that it can sense stimuli coming from its environment and behave accordingly. Not all animals have neurons; Trichoplax and sponges lack nerve cells altogether.
Neurons may be packed to form structures such as the brain of vertebrates or the neural ganglions of insects.
The number of neurons and their relative abundance in different parts of the brain is a determinant of neural function and, consequently, of behavior.
[edit] Whole nervous system
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Name | Neurons in the brain/whole nervous system | Details | Image | Source |
| Sponge | 0 |
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| Trichoplax | 0 |
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[1] | |
| Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm) | 302 |
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[2] | |
| Medicinal leech | 10,000 |
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[3] | |
| Pond snail | 11,000 |
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[4] | |
| Sea slug | 18,000 |
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[5] | |
| Fruit fly | 100,000 |
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[6] | |
| Lobster | 100,000 |
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[7] | |
| Ant | 250,000 | Varies per species |
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[8] |
| Honey bee | 960,000 |
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[10] | |
| Cockroach | 1,000,000 |
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[11] | |
| Frog | 16,000,000 |
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[12] | |
| Mouse | 75,000,000 |
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[13] | |
| Octopus | 300,000,000 |
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[14] | |
| Human | 100,000,000,000 | For average adult |
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[15] |
| Elephant | 200,000,000,000 |
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[16] |
[edit] Cerebral cortex
Only mammals appear in this list, because only mammals have a cerebral cortex (although the pallium of reptiles is also frequently referred to as "cortex".)
| Name | Neurons in the cerebral cortex | Details | Image | Source |
| Mouse | 4,000,000 |
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[4] | |
| Rat | 21,000,000 |
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[17] | |
| Dog | 160,000,000 |
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[4] | |
| Cat | 300,000,000 |
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[4] | |
| Dolphin | 5,800,000,000 |
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[citation needed] | |
| Chimpanzee | 6,200,000,000 |
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[4] | |
| Human | 11,000,000,000 | For average adult[not in citation given] |
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[15] |
| Fin whale | 15,000,000,000 |
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[18] | |
| Pilot whale | 30,000,000,000 |
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[18] |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Schierwater B (December 2005). "My favorite animal, Trichoplax adhaerens". Bioessays 27 (12): 1294–1302. doi:10.1002/bies.20320. PMID 16299758.
- ^ Jeff Stripling. "Lecture 1: Overview". Introduction to Cognitive Science: Neuroscience. University of Arkansas. Archived from the original on January 4, 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20050104112907/http://comp.uark.edu/~jstripli/CogSci-JS-L1-web.pdf. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
- ^ Kuffler SW and Potter DD (1964). "Glia in the leech central nervous system: physiological properties and neuron-glia relationship". J. Neurophysiol. 27: 290–320. PMID 14129773.
- ^ a b c d e Roth G, Dicke U (May 2005). "Evolution of the brain and intelligence". Trends Cogn. Sci. (Regul. Ed.) 9 (5): 250–7. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2005.03.005. PMID 15866152. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1364-6613(05)00082-3. as PDF
- ^ Cash D, Carew TJ (1989). "A quantitative analysis of the development of the central nervous system in juvenile Aplysia californica". J Neurobiol. 20: 25–47. PMID 2921607.
- ^ Random House, Inc. Academic Resources | Titles of Academic Interest for Universities and Colleges
- ^ "Anatomy & Biology". The Lobster Institute. University of Maine. http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=47. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
- ^ John and Sarah Tefl. "INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANTS". http://www.lingolex.com/ants.htm. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ "Ant Fun Facts". http://bestfunfacts.com/ants.html. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ Menzel R, Giurfa M (February 2001). "Cognitive architecture of a mini-brain: the honeybee". Trends Cogn. Sci. 5 (2): 62. doi:10.1016/S1364-6613(00)01601-6. PMID 11166636.
- ^ "A Strange Approach to Social Interaction, and Butterflies". Anthropology.net. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on January 13, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070113184722/http://anthropology.net/user/lexis2praxis/blog/2007/01/11/a_strange_approach_to_social_interaction_and_butterflies. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
- ^ Frog Brain Neuron Number
- ^ Williams, Robert W. (2000). "Mapping Genes that Modulate Mouse Brain Development: A Quantitative Genetic Approach". In: Mouse brain development (Goffinet AF, Rakic P, eds), Springer Verlag, New York, pp 21–49. http://www.nervenet.org/papers/BrainRev99.html#Numbers.
- ^ Brain Facts and Figures
- ^ a b Ndabahaliye, Anicia (2002). "Number of Neurons in the Human Brain". The Physics Factbook. http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/AniciaNdabahaliye2.shtml.
- ^ Neurogenetics at UT Health Science Center
- ^ Korbo L, Pakkenberg B, Ladefoged O, Gundersen HJ, Arlien-Søborg P, Pakkenberg H (February 1990). "An efficient method for estimating the total number of neurons in rat brain cortex". J. Neurosci. Methods 31 (2): 93–100. doi:10.1016/0165-0270(90)90153-7. PMID 2181205. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/0165-0270(90)90153-7.
- ^ a b Food and Agriculture Organization. Working Party on Marine Mammals (1981). Mammals in the Seas: General papers and large cetaceans. Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 119. ISBN 9789251005132. http://books.google.com/books?id=BKaUpfo2XCUC&pg=PA119.
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