THE AUDITORY NEUROBIOLOGY OF MARSUPIALS - A REVIEW

The marsupials, the large group of mammals which develop during fetal life in an externalized pouch, have been given little attention by aud itory neurobiologists. In this review the structure of the auditory sy stems of the handful of marsupials which have been studied is describe d, the course of auditory development mapped, and the behavioral and e lectrophysiological manifestations bf hearing examined. It is argued t hat research on the highly accessible developing marsupial will provid e information about the development of hearing difficult to obtain fro m, but applicable to all, mammalian species.