In the wikipedia list, the estimated number of neurons in the neocortex of a blue whale is 5 billion (compared to 43 billion in orcas), even though blue whales are much larger. (Unfortunately the blue whale estimate is just an estimate and not grounded in optical or isotropic fractionation measurements.)
(EDIT: Hm interesting, the linked reddit post mentions 15billion for blue whales. Not sure what is correct.)
As I commented on Are big brains for processing sensory input? I predict that the brain regions of a whale or Orca responsible for spatiotemporal learning and memory are a big part of their encephalization.
In the wikipedia list, the estimated number of neurons in the neocortex of a blue whale is 5 billion (compared to 43 billion in orcas), even though blue whales are much larger. (Unfortunately the blue whale estimate is just an estimate and not grounded in optical or isotropic fractionation measurements.)
(EDIT: Hm interesting, the linked reddit post mentions 15billion for blue whales. Not sure what is correct.)
I imagine that part of the difference is because Orcas are hunters, and need much more sophisticated sensors + controls.
I gigantic jellyfish wouldn’t have the same number of neurons as a similarly sized whale, so it’s not just about size, but how you use that size.