Hyrax

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Hyrax; ever going to make a comeback?
Topic Started: Jun 6 2010, 08:22 AM (1,067 Views)
MitchBeard	Jun 6 2010, 08:22 AM Post #1
proud gondwanan Posts: 431 Group: Members Member #281 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male Nationality: Australian	Hyraxes are pretty cute, stocky little herbivores. They were a pretty diverse group of animals in the late eocene, and dominated africa as far as herbivory goes. They were ousted once those pesky bovines evolved though. There are still a few species left though, and seem well set up to bounce back after a big mass extinction. They're small, good at going without water, and are foregut fermenting with a multi-chambered stomach, and used to living in marginal habitats. What do you guys think?

Replies:
Margaret Pye	Jun 9 2010, 08:33 AM Post #16
Adult Posts: 596 Group: Members Member #267 Joined: Feb 3, 2010 Gender: Female Nationality: Australian	Nahh. Naked mole rats. Horseshoe bats. Baboons. Lovely things, but not what you'd call aesthetically pleasing.
	My speculative dinosaur project. With lots of fluff, parental care and mammalian-level intelligence, and the odd sophont.


Ook	Jun 9 2010, 08:42 AM Post #17
not a Transhuman Posts: 2,933 Group: Members Member #282 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male	actually,naked mole rats is one of my most favorite mammals,and baboons is ugly?



Black_Panther	Jun 9 2010, 12:18 PM Post #18
Adolescent Posts: 472 Group: Members Member #56 Joined: Aug 17, 2008 Gender: Private Nationality: Mexico	Well, Hyraxes seem to be well adapted to both arboreal (Tree Hyraxes, which are nocturnal and live in trees) and ground-dwelling (Rock Hyraxes) lifestyles. So, yeah, they can evolve into several species, designed to fit several niches.
	http://spidervenom022.deviantart.com Go in there for some odd stuff that could make you puke, and ask for some free sketches.


Pando	Jun 9 2010, 01:23 PM Post #19
Obey or I'll send you to the moon Posts: 5,648 Group: Members Member #275 Joined: Feb 24, 2010 Area of expertise: Future Evolution	Margaret Pye Jun 9 2010, 07:09 AM They're fairly specialised for herbivory at the moment, what with the complicated stomachs, but that could always evolve backwards... gradual simplification of the stomach as they start to add more fruit to their diet, and then on to tubers and slugs, and then once their digestion can handle occasional meat they could start developing adaptations for hunting rats, particularly if this hypothetical mass extinction killed off cats... Yes, a rat killer is possible. But not a gigantic apex predator! They're too cute! And come on Bexi, while hyrax are cute you wouldn't call a lion cute. Or a tiger. Or a bear (okay, maybe bears).



Ook	Jun 9 2010, 01:33 PM Post #20
not a Transhuman Posts: 2,933 Group: Members Member #282 Joined: Mar 10, 2010 Gender: Male	err,cats are my most favorite animals i like more cats than dogs,but this is offtopic



dialforthedevil	Jun 9 2010, 01:59 PM Post #21
Frumentarii Administrator Posts: 7,371 Group: Away Staff Member #323 Joined: Jun 8, 2010 Gender: Male Favorite Quote: "Every Human life is a spark in the darkness..."	maybe hyraxes could evolve into something along the lines of a bat?
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Margaret Pye	Jun 9 2010, 10:56 PM Post #22
Adult Posts: 596 Group: Members Member #267 Joined: Feb 3, 2010 Gender: Female Nationality: Australian	Hmm, what intermediates would you use?
	My speculative dinosaur project. With lots of fluff, parental care and mammalian-level intelligence, and the odd sophont.


Carlos	Jun 10 2010, 06:05 AM Post #23
Adveho in me Lucifero Posts: 11,702 Group: Members Member #5 Joined: May 31, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Portugayse Favorite Quote: Blame is the playing of children and is given to many like a gift that cannot be returned. Acceptance is the tool of the mature that is rarely loaned out.	I can see hyraxes becoming colugo like, though achieving powered flight might be a bit of a stretch. Then again, I'm not very convinced they will stop being primarily herbivorous
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