Some species are "champions" at certain behaviors or abilities. These are usually linked to a specific neural characteristic or brain structure, which makes for a greater comparison. 

Outstanding Features

Some species are convenient to research if they are cheaper to study, ready to mate, and are not endangered, like rats. Some are convenient for methodological reasons, like having very simple nervous systems. 

Convenience

It is easier to compare two species that have a close relationship but behave differently. An example of this is studying a difference between birds and their behaviors. 

Comparison

Species that are rare, endangered, or kept in zoos can set limits on what can be studied or how it can be studied. 

Preservation

Studying certain animals that are important to the economy (ex: food species, crop-damaging species) can provide information that helps increase production. 

Economic Importance

Some species are susceptible to the same diseases, which makes for a good study. There are some animal models of different neurosciences diseases and disorders like mood disorders or epilepsy. 

Treatment of Diseases

When selecting species to research and compare, scientists apply many criteria like: 
- outstanding features 
- convenience
- comparison
- preservation 
- economic importance
- treatment of disease 

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We can compare how different species exploit ecological niches, which can lead to a deeper understanding of a species evolutionary framework. Species with different histories show solutions to challenges of survival and reproduction, which can inform us about brain function. 

Comparing Species

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Criteria for Selecting Species to Study

Strategies in obtaining food correlates with brain size and function. Mammals that eat food that is more scattered around an environment (ex: fruit) tend to have larger brains than mammals who eat food that is uniformly distributed (ex: grass). In birds, novel-food seeking strategies tend to mean a larger forebrain. 

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