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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Space: Cosmology
Published When did the chicken cross the road? New evidence from Central Asia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of scholars present the earliest clear archaeological and biomolecular evidence for the raising of chickens for egg production, based on material from 12 archaeological sites spanning one and a half millennia. The research indicates that the domestic chicken, now a staple in diets around the world, is not as ancient as previously thought.
Published We've had bird evolution all wrong
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Genomic anamolies dating back to the time of the dinosaurs misled scientists about the evolutionary history of birds.
Published Computational tools fuel reconstruction of new and improved bird family tree
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using cutting-edge computational methods and supercomputing infrastructure, researchers have built the largest and most detailed bird family tree to date -- an intricate chart delineating 93 million years of evolutionary relationships between 363 bird species, representing 92% of all bird families. The updated tree reveals sharp increases in effective population size, substitution rates and relative brain size in early birds in the aftermath of the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. And by closely examining one of the branches of this tree, researchers found that flamingos and doves are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyses had shown.
Published Machine learning provides a new picture of the great gray owl
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers upend the notion that the iconic great gray owl -- known as the phantom of the North -- lives far from cities, towns and other markers of human density.
Published Genomic research may help explain cancer resistance in Tasmanian devils
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Through DNA sequencing of Tasmanian devils and their tumors, researchers have tracked the genomic interactions between the animals and the cancer.
Published Small birds spice up the already diverse diet of spotted hyenas in Namibia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hyenas are generalist predators (and scavengers) with a broad range of prey species. They are known for hunting (or scavenging) larger mammals such as antelopes and occasionally feed on smaller mammals and reptiles. Being flexible in the choice of prey is a strategy of generalists -- and this even extends to small passerine birds, as scientists observed in Namibia: Spotted hyenas pursued red-billed queleas, picked them from the ground or the surface of a waterhole and swallowed them whole, at a success rate of approximately one bird every three minutes.
Published Lyrebird synchronizes elements of its mating dance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source To woo a mate, the Albert's Lyrebird of Australia becomes a real song-and-dance bird. Each male first chooses a stage of entangled vines, then in performance he shakes the vines as part of his courtship footwork, synchronizing each shake with the beat of his striking song.
Published Understanding cattle grazing personalities may foster sustainable rangelands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research finds that not all cattle are the same when it comes to grazing, and knowing that could lead to better animal health and range conditions.
Published North American cities may see a major species turnover by the end of the century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change may dramatically affect the animal species observed in North American cities, according to a new study.
Published Scientists warn: The grey seal hunt is too large
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers warn that today's hunting quotas of about 3,000 animals pose a risk to the long-term survival of the grey seal in the Baltic Sea. The conclusions of this new study are based on statistics from 20th century seal hunting and predictions of future climate change.
Published Looking to the past to prevent future extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Anthropologists created a computational model to predict the likelihood of animal extinctions based on the complex interaction of hunting and environmental change.
Published The behavior of ant queens is shaped by their social environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The queens in colonies of social insects, such as ants, bees, and wasps, are considered the veritable embodiment of specialization in the animal kingdom. The common perception is that the queen's only task is to lay eggs -- and that this attribute is an inherent trait, not influenced by external factors. In contrast, recent research has demonstrated that in certain ant colonies the social environment can play a crucial role in shaping the behavioral specialization of the queens.
Published Researchers find energy development and tree encroachment impact Wyoming pronghorn
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While Wyoming is home to some of North America's most abundant populations of pronghorn that have largely been stable in recent years, a new analysis shows that many herds are experiencing long-term declines in fawn production.
Published In paleontology, correct names are keys to accurate study
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When the skeletal remains of a giant ground sloth were first unearthed in 1796, the discovery marked one of the earliest paleontological finds in American history.
Published Two coral snakes recorded battling for prey in a scientific first
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two red-tailed coral snakes have been observed competing over a caecilian in the first documented wild case of kleptoparasitism within the family Elapidae.
Published Bees use antennae to decode hive mates' dances in the dark
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered how honeybees can decipher dances by their hive mates that relay directions to food.
Published How many fish constitute a school?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists are also interested in fish -- above all when they are researching the formation of structures. A research team has examined the schooling behavior of zebra danio (Danio rerio, also known as 'zebrafish') using methods from the field of multi-particle physics. They explain that groups of just three fish already move in a similar way to large schools while, by contrast, two fish display completely different behavior.
Published Humans pass more viruses to other animals than we catch from them
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans pass on more viruses to domestic and wild animals than we catch from them, according to a major new analysis of viral genomes.
Published Caller ID of the sea: Tagging whale communication and behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists use a novel method of simultaneous acoustic tagging to gain insights into the link between whale communication and behavior
Published Wild bird gestures 'after you'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A small-bird species, the Japanese tit (Parus minor), uses wing movements as a gesture to convey the message 'after you,' according to new research. When a mating pair arrives at their nest box with food, they will wait outside on perches. One will then often flutter its wings toward the other, apparently indicating for the latter to enter first. The researchers say that this discovery challenges the previous belief that gestural communication is prominent only in humans and great apes, significantly advancing our understanding of visual communication in birds.