“. These subcomponents, including memory, motor control, reasoning, recognition, and others, all have clear evolutionary histories.”
Enlighen us on the evolutionary history of memory, for a start. Nothing complicated, just a brief description of how evolution produced memory.
Cephalopods are probably the best subject to use as an example of the evolution of memory. Octopuses and squids, for example, have developed highly specialized, dedicated memory centers that enhance their ability to learn and remember. As a result, they modify their hunting techniques based on past experiences.
What makes them a good study subject is the availability of their close relative, the primitive nautilus. The nautilus, while having a similar albeit simpler brain structure, lacks the dedicated memory centers present in the more developed species of cephalopods. Despite this handicap, it appears the nautilus still has developed a rudimentary capacity for temporally separated short and long term memory (about 1 hour short term, and roughly 6-12 hours long term). This suggests that a very basic ability to recall recent past events developed in ancestral cephalopods. As new species emerged, brains with more pronounced and sophisticated memory centers contributed to their success and therefore became a trait favored by natural selection.