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| Science News General; Stuff that doesn't need its own topic | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 9 2014, 07:11 AM (11,230 Views) | |
| Chuditch | Apr 2 2018, 07:21 AM Post #256 |
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Dasyurid
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This news is nearly a month old now, but I don't think many people have heard about it. http://www.aridrecovery.org.au/arid-recovery-news/the-end-of-the-western-barred-bandicoot Basically, the Western Barred Bandicoot has been split into 5 species, 4 of which are now extinct. This means the species being reintroduced to the predator-proof fenced areas is the wrong species, so it is in fact an 'introduction' rather than a 'reintroduction'. However, as Katherine Tuft from Arid Recovery has said, it is better to have the wrong bandicoot than no bandicoot, especially given that the species are extremely close and have identical ecological roles. Quoting Katherine directly, "If an equivalent species can perform a similar function in the landscape, it’s better than leaving that role vacant. A slightly different little bandicoot digging around in the red sand is surely better than the gaping absence left by the original bandicoot’s extinction." Still, it's very sad to know that we have another 4 species to add to Australia's long list of extinct species (over 35 endemic mammals are now extinct, and over 100 others are on the threatened species list). ![]() The only surviving species of Western Barred Bandicoot. This species, Perameles bougainville (still the original species name), is now known as the Little Marl. I've also heard the Southern Brown Bandicoot has been split into several species, with the Quenda (the population in south-west Western Australia) and the population in Cape York (now known as the Cape York Brown Bandicoot) having been split from those in the south-east and Tasmania. Makes sense when you see the huge distances between the populations. Luckily all those 3 species are still with us. EDIT: The Long-nosed Bandicoot has been split as well, now consisting of the Northern and Southern Long-nosed Bandicoots. There are many more bandicoot species than we thought it seems. Perhaps the Northern Brown is next? |
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My wildlife YouTube channel Projects
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| Tyko | Apr 4 2018, 07:41 AM Post #257 |
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Newborn
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This is quite old and I'm not sure if you have seen it already, but it certainly suprised me: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9254000/9254445.stm |
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| Sayornis | Apr 21 2018, 12:28 AM Post #258 |
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Neotenous
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"Disordered hyperuniformity" in bird eyes.
The same kind of pattern may appear in vegetation growth in deserts. |
The Library is open. (Now under new management!)
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| Sayornis | Jun 13 2018, 01:59 PM Post #259 |
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Neotenous
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A few interesting science articles I've found lately: Anesthesia works on plants. A million Earths could orbit a black hole. The best birding day ever. Season-of-birth effects on human color vision in the Arctic. Incidentally, is there a clear criterion for what does and doesn't deserve its own thread? I'm never entirely sure what to post here and what to post as a thread. Edited by Sayornis, Jun 13 2018, 02:01 PM.
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The Library is open. (Now under new management!)
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| Holben | Jun 13 2018, 02:04 PM Post #260 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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I don't think there's a clear line, but if you want to write any supplementary content of your own to go with the post or think it would start a good discussion those work better as topics. |
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Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
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7:20 PM Jul 10