Animal Planet
Rodent's bizarre traits deepen mystery of genetics, evolution
(And it's cute, too!)Purdue University research has shown that the vole, a mouselike rodent, is not only the fastest evolving mammal, but also harbors a number of puzzling genetic traits that challenge current scientific understanding.
Meet the Earliest Baby Girl ever Discovered!
3.3 million years ago, a three year old girl died in present day Ethiopia, in an area called Dikika. Though a baby, she provides researchers with a unique account of our past, as would a grandmother. Her completeness, antiquity, and age at death combine make this find unprecedented in the history of paleoanthropology and open many new research avenues to investigate into the infancy of early human ancestors.
Ancient birds flew on all-fours
Bird flight evolved from using front and hind limbs as wings, new fossil study argues
The earliest known ancestor of modern-day birds took to the skies by gliding from trees using primitive feathered wings on their arms and legs, according to new research by a University of Calgary paleontologist.
In a paper published in the journal Paleobiology, Department of Biological Sciences PhD student Nick Longrich challenges the idea that birds began flying by taking off from the ground while running and shows that the dinosaur-like bird Archaeopteryx soared using wing-like feathers on all of its limbs.
Crickets on Hawaiian Island Develop Silent Wings in Response to Parasitic Attack
(Jiminy!)Male crickets use ingenious means to mate with females after loss of sexual signal, UCR biologists find
(September 22, 2006)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In only a few generations, the male cricket on Kauai, one of the Hawaiian Islands, underwent a mutation – a sudden heritable change in its genetic material – that rendered it incapable of using song, its sexual signal, to attract female crickets, according to a new study by UC Riverside evolutionary biologists.
Tarantulas produce silk from their feet
(Does this explain Peter Parker?)Researchers have found for the first time that tarantulas can produce silk from their feet as well as their spinnerets, a discovery with profound implications for why spiders began to spin silk in the first place.
Random critter for the day:
Majangella
Hmm, no pictures on that page, so I'll also link to its containing group:
Liturgusidae
Mantodea - Praying mantids and their relatives
Let us prey...
Henry
Majangella
Hmm, no pictures on that page, so I'll also link to its containing group:
Liturgusidae
Mantodea - Praying mantids and their relatives
Let us prey...
Henry