| Summary: | In mammals, primary auditory cortex processes auditory stimuli. Both gross morphological and cytoarchitectonic descriptions of primary auditory cortex (A1) have been previously described in the domestic dog. These areas include the auditory cortical areas of core, belt, and parabelt regions. It is lesser known how these regions are organized in species that exhibit similar environmental stimuli recognition. In this exploratory study, we examined the structure-function relationship of the primary auditory cortex in the domestic beagle (Canis lupis familiaris) and the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Previous research suggests that domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) outperform monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in listening tasks related to primary auditory regions. The relationship between sensory stimuli and social stimuli has long been investigated. Spotted hyenas are a matriarchal species that live in clans of up to 90 individuals. Within these clans exists complex social hierarchies. These hierarchies vary significantly from the social structure of the domestic dog. Therefore, primary auditory cortex may be larger or show differing organization in an animal with a more complex social structure when compared with an animal with less social complexity and vocalizations. Here, we describe the areas including the auditory cortical areas of core, belt, and parabelt regions in these select carnivore species.
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