The question of how complex human abilities evolved, such as language or face recognition, has been pursued by means of multiple strategies. Highly specialized non-human species have been examined analytically for formal similarities, close phylogenetic relatives have been examined for continuity, and simpler species have been analyzed for the broadest view of functional organization. All these strategies require empirical evidence of what is variable and predictable in both the modeled and the model species. Turning to humans, allometric analyses of the evolution of brain mass and brain components often return the interesting, but disappointing answer that volumetric organization of the human brain is highly predictable seen in its phylogenetic context. Reconciling this insight with unique human behavior, or any species-typical behavior, represents a serious challenge. Allometric analyses of the order and duration of mammalian neural development show that, while basic neural development in humans is allometrically predictable, conforming to adult neural architecture, some life history features deviate, notably that weaning is unusually early. Finally, unusual deviations in the retina and central auditory system in the laboratory mouse, which is widely assumed to be "generic," as well as severe deviations from expected brain allometry in some mouse strains, underline the need for a deeper understanding of phylogenetic variability even in those systems believed to be best understood.

中文翻译：

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普通人和独特的小家鼠：建立模型物种和模型物种的典型性。

已经通过多种策略研究了人类的复杂能力如何发展的问题，例如语言或面部识别。已对高度专业化的非人类物种进行了形式相似性的分析检查，对近亲系统发育亲缘关系进行了连续性检查，并对简单物种进行了功能组织的最广泛分析。所有这些策略都需要经验证据，以证明在建模物种和模型物种中什么是可变的和可预测的。转向人类，对大脑质量和大脑成分的演变进行异速分析通常会返回有趣的结果，但令人失望的答案是，从系统发生的角度来看，人类大脑的体积组织是高度可预测的。将这种见解与独特的人类行为或任何物种典型的行为进行协调，代表着严峻的挑战。对哺乳动物神经发育的顺序和持续时间的异速分析表明，尽管人类的基本神经发育在异速过程中是可预测的，但与成人的神经结构相符，但某些生命史特征有所不同，尤其是断奶异常早。最后，实验室老鼠的视网膜和中央听觉系统异常变化（被普遍认为是“一般性的”），以及某些小鼠品系与预期的脑异形的严重变化，强调了需要对系统发生变异性有更深入的了解即使在那些被认为是最好理解的系统中。符合成人的神经结构，一些生活史特征有所不同，尤其是断奶异常早。最后，实验室老鼠的视网膜和中央听觉系统异常变化（被普遍认为是“一般性的”），以及某些小鼠品系与预期的脑异形的严重变化，强调了需要对系统发生变异性有更深入的了解即使在那些被认为是最好理解的系统中。符合成人的神经结构，一些生活史特征有所不同，尤其是断奶异常早。最后，实验室老鼠的视网膜和中央听觉系统异常变化（被普遍认为是“一般性的”），以及某些小鼠品系与预期的脑异形的严重变化，强调了需要对系统发生变异性有更深入的了解即使在那些被认为是最好理解的系统中。