ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to survey aspects of the evolutionary history of mammals that are especially relevant for neurologists and behaviorists. The evolution of most features of mammal brains cannot be checked by reference to the fossil record and can only be interpreted indirectly from distribution in living forms. The majority of mammal genera may be identified from dentitions alone, and much mammal phylogeny has been based on dental morphology. Specializations of extinct mammals may be inferred from analysis of various parts of the skeletal system and by correlations with skeletal anatomy of living forms for which specializations are known. Elephants, hyraxes, sea cows, and aardvarks are four minor orders of surviving mammals that are generally considered to have evolved from condylarth stock. Two closely related genera of living elephants are the only survivors of the adaptive radiations of the order Proboscidea, which can be traced back to about 45 million years ago.
