ABSTRACT
In introducing the topic of comparative neurology as it exists today it may be of interest to reflect on its history, which is closely related to the limitations of its methods. The study of non-mammalian brain structure was pioneered at the turn of the century. The founders' contributions consist essentially of careful characterization of neurons and their distribution in a large number of vertebrate species. About 55% of living vertebrate species are collectively grouped as anamniotes on the basis of their reproductive strategy. These vertebrates have evolutionary lineages that have possessed separate phylogenetic histories for the last 400 million years. The surviving teleosts form a group that surpasses all other living vertebrate groups in number of species and morphological diversity. The degree of lamination in the optic tecta of different vertebrate taxa is considerable. All vertebrate spinal cords possess the same basic configuration of white and gray matter.
