Articles tagged with Mammals
A new study on the fossil bone growth of Ophiacodon, a distant relative of mammals, reveals that it was at least partly 'warm-blooded', challenging the long-held theory of its origin. The findings suggest that mammalian endothermy evolved earlier than previously thought, dating back to the late Carboniferous period.
The study found that mammal body size decreased by 10-20% during warm periods in the Bighorn Basin, with some lineages experiencing dwarfing. The findings add to evidence of a link between climatic change and animal populations.
The study analyzed past large-mammal extinctions in North and South America to understand their long-lasting ecosystem impacts. Researchers found that the disappearance of mammoths and mastodons led to changes in vegetation, decreased small mammal diversity, and altered landscape dynamics.
New research supports the idea that human hunting contributed to the decline and extinction of large mammals in the Americas. The study found that the animals' demise began between 13,300-15,000 years ago in Alaska and spread southward across North America and into South America.
A recent University of Virginia-led study found that naked mole-rats are not genetically isolated and are actually part of larger wild populations with diverse genetics. This challenges the long-held assumption about their social behavior and mating habits.
A 125-million-year-old fossilized mammal named Spinolestes xenarthrosus has remarkably preserved fur, hair follicles, hedgehog-like spines, organs, and even a fungal hair infection. The study pushes back the earliest record of preserved mammalian hair structures by over 60 million years.
A team of researchers found a fossilized mammal from the Cretaceous period that may have suffered from a fungal infection affecting its fur. The Spinolestes had fused hairs resembling hedgehog spines and reinforced spine structures, indicating a unique adaptation to its environment.
Researchers identified the molecular properties of mammalian melanopsins, a photopigment involved in non-visual photoreception. They found that these proteins possess less stable bonds with retinal, contributing to lower photosensitivity and diverse attachment stability among species.
A mathematical analytical tool developed by University of Cincinnati scientists can predict strontium ratios in surface water, soil, vegetation, fish, and mammal skeletal tissues with high accuracy. The tool is most successful when applied to mammals, making it a valuable tool for ecological and paleoecological research.
A new study by Duke University finds that China's giant panda conservation measures also protect 70% of forest bird, mammal, and amphibian species found in mainland China. The research identifies high-priority areas for conservation to protect endangered native species.
Scientists have identified a new species of pre-mammal, Ichibengops, which lived around 255 million years ago. The species features a unique groove above its teeth, potentially for transmitting venom.
Scientists from the University of Kansas are investigating how climate, plate tectonics and other factors influenced evolution by bringing species together in modern-day Turkey 42 million years ago. The study aims to shed light on the role climate change played in mammalian evolution and its relevance today.
A North Carolina State University study found that domestic cats avoid places where coyotes are common, instead focusing on residential areas. The research, which analyzed over 2,100 sites across six Eastern states, suggests that the presence of coyotes is a key factor in determining cat behavior.
A new study reveals that the rise of the Rocky Mountains predisposed North American mammals to adapt to a cold, dry world during the Grande Coupure event. This led to better survival rates compared to European mammal species, which were overrun by Asian mammals already adapted to colder conditions.
Researchers at UCSB have identified a TRP channel that plays a key role in the insect's fine motor coordination. Null mutations in this channel impair highly coordinated movements while leaving gross motor control intact. The discovery sheds light on molecular processes underlying fine motor control in other animals, including humans.
Invasive earthworms in New England's forests are bioaccumulating high levels of toxic metals, including lead and mercury, which may harm birds, amphibians, and mammals that feed on them. The Dartmouth-led study found similar situations in forests across the northeastern United States.
A recent study published in Biological Reviews found that matrotrophy, where mothers provide nutrients to their embryos during gestation, has evolved independently in at least 21 of 34 animal phyla. This process is more common than previously thought and is often associated with live birth.
Research from Concordia University and Memorial University of Newfoundland found that the introduction of foreign species has resulted in an increase in prey per predator, which could lead to a decrease in prey species. This study sheds light on the impact of invasive mammals on the island's food web.
The eardrum evolved independently in mammals and diapsids, depending on lower jaw formation in mammals and upper jaw development in diapsids. The study used developmental biology techniques to overcome the lack of fossil evidence for eardrum evolution.
New research reveals that bats can gather information from their environment and process it extremely fast to determine how to attack or call off the hunt. The study shows that bats can adjust their attack until approximately 100 milliseconds away from their prey.
A new study reveals that extinct South American ungulates are closely related to groups that also gave rise to horses and rhinos. The research uses fossil protein sequences to show that these animals are part of the Laurasiatheria group, which includes perissodactyls.
Research suggests that heterothermy, a metabolic adaptation, enabled land mammals to survive on drifting vegetation rafts and establish populations on Madagascar. Delayed childbirth and prolonged sperm storage also facilitated colonization by allowing females to reach the island with unborn offspring.
Fossil discoveries in Libya's Sirt Basin reveal a unique group of ancient mammals, shedding light on climate change and environmental shift. The findings suggest that global cooling and drying led to habitat fragmentation, promoting allopatric speciation and altering the evolution of primates.
Researchers at Yale University have discovered a protein found in ticks that can prevent frostbite in mice. The antifreeze protein, when introduced into mouse cells or whole live mice, showed significant protection against frostbite, with 60% of treated mice showing no visible signs of damage.
Feral cats feed on a wide range of native species, including endangered birds and mammals. A study suggests that controlling rabbit populations could harm native mammals instead, highlighting the need for multi-species pest control approaches.
Recent studies of Mesozoic mammals in China reveal a diverse range of species, with many exhibiting mammalian characteristics. The findings provide insights into the evolution of the mammalian middle ear and the origin of mammals, with implications for our understanding of vertebrate biology.
A new study reveals that the oldest primate ancestors lived in trees, accessing food sources unavailable to ground-dwelling species. The discovery provides evidence of arboreal life evolving early in the history of primates, with Purgatorius, a tiny tree shrew-like creature, being estimated to have weighed about 3.5 ounces.
Scientists used magnesium isotopes to analyze the diet of living mammals in Gabon's equatorial forest. This method provides a strong basis for inferring the diet of extinct animals. The study's findings offer new insights into ancient ecosystems and interactions between organisms.
A new fossil analysis reveals that Vintana sertich was a badger-sized, herbivorous animal with keen senses of smell and vision. The study sheds light on the diversity of Mesozoic mammals and their paleoecology.
Researchers found that birds can compare their own odor with potential mates and choose unrelated individuals as breeding partners. This suggests a link between mate choice and disease-resistance in birds, similar to mammals.
The Catoca diamond mine in Angola revealed 118 million-year-old dinosaur and crocodile tracks, with the largest mammalian track attributed to a raccoon-sized animal. No fossil bones or teeth of such an animal have been found elsewhere in Africa or the world.
A new branch of mammals closely related to modern horses, rhinos, and tapirs has been identified through the discovery of ancient bones from India and Pakistan. These animals spent a considerable amount of time near water, similar to modern rhinos and tapirs, and were likely large and lumbering.
A new study finds that small, fast-living mammals and high population densities can increase the risk of tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Research suggests that animals with fast life history features and large populations are more effective at transmitting pathogens to ticks.
Research suggests that ancient synapsid relatives, including the famous Dimetrodon, had eyes best suited for low-light conditions at night, 100 million years before the evolution of modern mammals. The findings indicate that nocturnal activity may have evolved in some synapsids as early as 300 million years ago.
Researchers at McGill University studied a living fish, Polypterus, to understand the evolution of tetrapods. The fish showed significant anatomical changes, including modified fins and increased support during walking.
Early Jurassic mammals in Wales developed specialized diets, with some favoring harder food like beetles and others softer foods like scorpion flies. This discovery suggests that competition drove the evolution of unique mammalian features, such as precise chewing and better hearing.
Researchers developed flyPAD technology to monitor fruit flies' feeding behavior, finding that they eat by rhythmically extending their proboscis in a stereotyped fashion. The study also shows that the way flies adapt to starvation is similar to how mammals do it.
Researchers found that a combination of developmental and biomechanical problems prevents evolutionary change in the number of trunk vertebrae in fast running and agile mammals. In contrast, these problems barely affect slow and sturdy mammals.
A new study reveals that existing protected areas are insufficient in safeguarding the world's most threatened species, with 85% of endangered mammals, birds, and amphibians unprotected. The authors recommend expanding protected areas to target high-threat species currently lacking protection.
A new study found that existing protected areas are insufficient in safeguarding the world's imperilled biodiversity, with 85% of threatened mammal, bird, and amphibian species not adequately protected. The authors recommend linking protected area expansion to high-threat species coverage to increase conservation chances.
The pygmy shrew population in Ireland is under threat from the rapid expansion of the greater white-toothed shrew species. The invasive species has spread across the landscape at a rate of over five kilometers per year, leading to concerns that it may displace the native pygmy shrews and even lead to their local extinction.
The discovery of Eocasea martini reveals how carnivores gave rise to terrestrial herbivores for the first time on land. This 300-million-year-old fossil shows that herbivory arose independently at least five times, including twice in reptiles, and led to a significant shift in early ecosystems.
Researchers studied embryonic development in 134 species, discovering that brain size affects cranial bone formation. Individual bones develop in different phases characteristic to each species.
A recent survey by an international research team found that Liberia's chimpanee population is one of the most viable in West Africa, with over 70% living outside protected areas. The results provide crucial information for site prioritization and conservation efforts.
Researchers found biting flies, including horseflies and tsetse flies, drive zebra's black and white stripes. The study ruled out other hypotheses such as camouflage and social function.
A new species of ancient porpoise has been identified with an unprecedentedly long symphysis, a structure analogous to the human chin, measuring 85 cm. This unique feature suggests that the animal used its chin to probe the seabed for food, contradicting modern porpoises' feeding habits.
Fossils from the Middle-Upper Jurassic Period in northeastern China have revealed an exceptional window into life approximately 160 million years ago. The Daohugou Biota contains superbly preserved specimens of a diverse group of amphibian, mammal and reptile species.
Researchers analyzed predator-prey interactions among carnivorous mammals and birds of prey to explain the evolution of antipredator traits. They found that noxious spraying is favored by nocturnal animals, while sociality is favored by diurnal species.
A new DNA study suggests that the drastic change in vegetation from protein-rich herbs to less nutritious grass may be behind the demise of mammoths and other large mammals. The study shows that the mammoth steppe was dominated by herbs during the last ice age, which may have led to a decline in animal populations.
A team of researchers used DNA testing to analyze preserved plant remains from the permafrost, finding that large ancient mammals roamed areas with abundant forbs. This discovery provides new insights into how these massive animals survived extreme cold conditions.
Scientists discovered that the mass extinction of large mammals after the latest Ice Age was linked to changes in vegetation, particularly the loss of protein-rich forbs. This finding provides a new understanding of the role of climate change in shaping ecosystems during the Ice Age.
In a study on banded mongooses, researchers found that older, dominant females kill entire litters if they did not contribute to them, but allow communal litters with their own young to survive. This coordination is crucial for the group's productivity.
A new fossil species, Niassodon mfumukasi, has been discovered in Mozambique, providing new data on the evolution of ancient mammal relatives. The fossil, dated to approximately 256 million years ago, belongs to a group of synapsids that dominated land communities during the Late Permian period.
A comprehensive database of generation lengths for all extant mammal species has been developed, providing a crucial time reference for population ecology and conservation biology. The dataset contains data on adult body mass, maximum longevity, reproductive life span, and age at first reproduction for 5427 mammal species.
A new estimate suggests that more than 600,000 bats likely died from wind turbine collisions in the contiguous US in 2012. Bat populations are already under stress due to climate change and disease, making this figure particularly worrisome for their already slow growth rates.
Researchers found a brain-to-body signaling circuit in roundworms that enables weight loss independently of food intake, involving serotonin and octopamine neurotransmitters. The discovery hints at a similar circuit in humans and other mammals, potentially leading to more potent weight-loss therapies combining serotonin and adrenaline.
A new study by UC Davis reveals a strong correlation between human life expectancy and the loss of endangered species, with countries experiencing high GDP growth showing higher percentages of invasive birds and mammals. The research highlights the need for better scientific understanding of human-environment interactions.
A study spanning two decades reveals that species in forest fragments are more likely to disappear than previously thought. Habitat fragmentation and invasive species like the Malayan field rat contribute to the rapid decline of native wildlife populations.
Scientists estimate a minimum of 320,000 viruses in mammals, which could provide critical information for early detection and mitigation of disease outbreaks. This undertaking would cost approximately $6.3 billion, but limiting discovery to 85% of total viral diversity could bring the cost down to $1.4 billion.
New research suggests that terror birds were likely herbivores, based on the analysis of calcium isotope composition in their fossilized bones. The study found that the terror bird's diet was similar to that of herbivorous mammals and dinosaurs, indicating a non-carnivorous diet.