Editing Encephalization quotient (section)

=== Taxonomic trends ===
Mean EQ for mammals is around 1, with [[carnivora]]ns, [[cetacea]]ns and [[primates]] above 1, and [[insectivores]] and [[herbivore]]s below. Large mammals tend to have the highest EQs of all animals, while small mammals and avians have similar EQs.<ref name="Dunbar R.I. 2007 1344–1347"/> This reflects two major trends. One is that brain matter is extremely costly in terms of energy needed to sustain it.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Isler |first=K. |author2=van Schaik |author3=C. P  |title=Metabolic costs of brain size evolution |journal=Biology Letters |date=22 December 2006 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=557–560 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2006.0538 |pmid=17148287 |pmc=1834002}}</ref> Animals with nutrient rich diets tend to have higher EQs, which is necessary for the energetically costly tissue of brain matter. Not only is it metabolically demanding to grow throughout embryonic and postnatal development, it is costly to maintain as well.

Arguments have been made that some carnivores may have higher EQ's due to their relatively enriched diets, as well as the cognitive capacity required for effectively hunting prey.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Savage |first=J.G. |title=Evolution in carnivorous mammals |journal=Palaeontology |year=1977 |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=237–271 |url=https://www.palass.org/publications/palaeontology-journal/archive/20/2/article_pp237-271 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lefebvre |first1=Louis |last2=Reader |first2=Simon M. |last3=Sol |first3=Daniel |title=Brains, Innovations and Evolution in Birds and Primates |journal=Brain, Behavior and Evolution |date=2004 |volume=63 |issue=4 |pages=233–246 |doi=10.1159/000076784 |pmid=15084816 |doi-access=free }}</ref> One example of this is brain size of a [[wolf]]; about 30% larger than a similarly sized domestic dog, potentially derivative of different needs in their respective way of life.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Brain Size Doesn't Correlate With Intelligence |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-brain-size-doesnt-correlate-with-intelligence-180947627/ |work=Smithsonian Magazine }}</ref>