Chordate Zoology - textbook - Y. V. Tsaryk - 2013

Chapter 5. SUPERCLASS TETRAPODS (TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES) TETRAPODA, seu QUADRIPEDA.

ANAMNIOTES (ANAMNIA) AND AMNIOTES (AMNIOTA)

5.4. CLASS MAMMALIA, OR BEASTS, MAMMALIA, seu THERIA

5.4.2. Behavior and Lifestyle

A highly developed Nervous System and Sensory Organs provide a complex representation of the external world in the Brain and, consequently, the flexible behavior of most mammals. It is based on mechanisms common to all animals: a biological clock that regulates circadian rhythms, a set of simple unconditioned Reflexes and their complex combinations—instincts—and, finally, the capacity for fine analysis and perception of external stimuli, accompanied by The formation of conditioned reflexes (temporary connections) and the accumulation of individual experience. This is impossible without the existence of hereditary, genetically fixed memory (The basis of unconditioned reflexes and instincts) and current memory in the form of temporary connections. Together, these constitute working memory. Based on this, the situation is assessed using sensory information about the state of the environment and the Organism, and the optimal course of action is chosen.

Mammals stand out among other animals due to the richness of their working memory and, consequently, their complex behavior. Its adaptive nature is enhanced by so-called imprinting, which is the lasting, usually lifelong influence of early childhood impressions on all subsequent behavior. Imprinting is the fine-tuning and adaptation of the body's functional systems to the specific conditions of a chosen habitat. Therefore, the nervous activity of mammals is characterized by a high degree of plasticity, rich and complex connections with the environment, and, at the same time, a high level of adaptation to local conditions. By forming groups, mammals utilize environmental resources and mitigate adverse effects by collectively storing food, constructing burrows and other shelters with a favorable microclimate, and joining forces to defend against enemies and forage for food. These rudimentary social elements in mammal populations are more diverse compared to reptiles and birds.

Innate, or instinctive, activity in mammals is more complex and flexible than in other vertebrates. The ability to anticipate the course of many

recurring events and make appropriate decisions (extrapolation reflexes) has emerged and become widespread. It is apparently absent in other vertebrates; however, this ability is characteristic of various groups of birds and is much more richly and clearly expressed in mammals.