SHARK FISH BRAIN (SCOLIODON BRAIN) FROG BRAIN COMPARISON

The nervous system is composed of nervous tissue of ectodermal origin. This system is very
sensitive and all its parts are structurally connected and functionally integrated. Brain is the
anterior part of the central nervous system present in all bilaterally symmetrical vertebrates.
Every vertebrate's brain is built in accordance with a single architectural plan. The brain
exhibits varying degrees of differentiation and segregation of the sense organs in the head
region. The brain of early embryo and of lower vertebrates is almost identical. It is in the
form of a swollen anterior end of the neural tube and is known as 'encephalon'. On account of
differential growth it gets divided into three 'Primary cerebral vesicles'. These are known
as 'FOREBRAIN or PROSENCEPHALON',
MIDBRAIN or MESENCEPHALON and HIND BRAIN or RHOMBENCEPHALON.

From the study of brain in different groups of vertebrates, it is evident that the olfactory lobes
are more prominent in lower forms are gradually reduced. The brain is enclosed in four
ventricles - Lateral ventricles (1&2) or paracoes.the third ventricle or diacoel and fourth
ventricle or myelocoel The lateral ventricles communicate with the third ventricle by an
aperture Known as 'inter ventricular foramen' or 'foramen of Monro". The third ventricle is
connected with the fourth ventricle by a narrow channel called as 'Cerebral aqueduct' or
'Aqueduct of sylvius' or 'Iter'.
The brain is composed with grey and white matter. The grey matter consists of nerve cell
bodies with their dendrites and proximal axons. The white matter consists of tracts of
medullated fibres connecting the various parts of the brain and carry impulses from and to the
spinal cord. A serous fluid the cerebrospinal fluid fills all the ventricles of the brain. It is
secreted by the choroid plexus. It is also present in the spaces between the meninges. Here it
is absorbed into the blood vessel.
FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN

1. Olfactory lobes - Sense of smell

2. Cerebral hemispheres-Seat intelligence and memory.
3. Diencephalon - Controls the general metabolic functions of the body
4. Optic lobes - Sense of vision.
5. Cerebellum - Co-ordinates the movements of voluntary muscles.
6. Medulla oblongata - Controls the involuntary functions of the body.

FISH BRAIN (Shark-Scoliodon) FROG BRAIN

1. The brain lies in a cartilagenous cranium. 1. The brain lies in a bony cranium.
2. An outer thick dura mater, and inner
2. A single outer membrane - 'Me-ninx
thinner piamater protects the brain so there
primitiva' covers the brain.
are two meninges (membranes)
3. All the ventricles in the brain are
3. All the ventricles in the brain are spaceous
relatively small & narrow.
SHARK-FISH PROSENCEPHALON FROG-PROSENCEPHALON
4. The olfactory lobes are highly developed. 4 The olfactory lobes are relatively small.
These help much reliance on smell in detecting These help much reliance on smell in
the prey . detecting the prey.
5. Olfactory lobes extend forward and outward
5. The olfactory lobes lie side by side and
from antero lateral angles of cerebrum. So
no such differentiation as in shark.
these do lie side by side.
6. Each olfactory lobe is differentiated into a
siende; olfactory tract and a bilobed olfactory
6. Such a close contact does not exist.
bulb. The olfactory bulbs are closely applied to
olfactory sacs.
7. The cerebrum is some what rectangular, 7. Cerebrum is demarcated into two ovoid
large and undivided. cerebral hemispheres by a median fisture.
8. There is a median neuropore on the ventral
8. There is no neuropore.
sides of the cerebrum for the terminal nerves.
9. Pallium and corpora striata are poorly 9. Pallium and corpora striata are well
developed. developed.
10. Some of the nerve cells of the inner
10. There is no cerebral cortex. The grey matter
grey matter have migrated to the surface for
is restricted to the lining of lateral ventricles.
the formation of cerebral cortex.
11. Diencephelon is wide and rhomboi-dal
11. Diencephalon is short and narrow and
and covered either dorsally or ventrally by
almost fully covered dorsally by cerebrum.
cerebrum.
12. Pineal stalk is long and slender extending 12. Pineal stalk is very short. It bears
forward and upward. distally a knob-like pineal body (tadpole).
13. Infundibulum consists of a large median
lobe associated with a pair of small lateral 13. Infundibulum is a median bilobed body.
lobes - 'Lobi inferiores'.
14. Median lobe of infundibulum and 14. Entire infundibulum and hypophysis
hypophysis form 'pituitary body'. constitute pituitary body.
15. A pair of hollow outgrowths 'Sacci
vasculosi' present on the sides of hypophysis. 15. Sacci vasculosi are absent.
These are pressure receptors.
SHARK-MESENCEPHALON FROG-MESENCEPHALON
16. Optic lobes are highly covered by the
16. Optic lobes are not covered.
cerebellum.
17. Crura cerebri are largely covered by lobi 17. Crura cerebri are slightly covered by
interiores and sacci vasculosi. pituitary body.
SHARK-RHOMBENCEPHALON FROG-RHOMBENCEPHALON
18. Cerebellum is a very large rhom-boidal 18. Cerebellum is a small transverse band
structure. It divides into three lobes by two and does not cover any part of the brain. It
'deep transverse furrows. is undivided.
19. A pair of irregular, thin -walled sacs
'Corpora restiformia' present on the sides of the 19. There are no corpora restiformia.
anterior part of cerebellum.
20. Medulla oblongata is partly covered infront
20. Medulla oblongata is not covered.
by cerebellum.
21. These are four commissures -'anterior'
21. There are three commissures- 'anterior'm
in lamina terminalis, 'hippocampal' above
lamina terminalis' 'dorsal in front of pineal
anterior commissure 'dorsal infront of
stalk and 'posterior1 between diencephalon and
pineal stalk and Posterior between
optic lobes.
diencephalon and optic lobes.
22. Dorsal commissure is more developed 22. Dorsal commissure is less developed
where as posterior commissure is less where as posterior commissure is more
developed than in frog. prominent than in shark.