All articles tagged with #animal biology
A study in Current Biology finds that the horse’s whinny is a two-tone sound: a low-pitched element from air vibrating in the voice box and a separate high-pitched whistle produced just above it. Using endoscopic imaging and dissections, researchers showed horses are the first large mammals known to whistle via their voice box while singing, a feature that may help convey multiple emotions in social interactions.
A new study in Nature Ecology and Evolution challenges the long-held assumption that brain and body mass in animals follow a simple power law relationship. Instead, researchers found a log-curvilinear relationship, best described by a second-order polynomial equation. This model better fits the data and explains variations across species, offering new insights into cerebral evolution and the rate at which different animals develop larger brains.
University of Manitoba researchers studying Cape ground squirrels in South Africa and Richardson's ground squirrels in Canada have found that climate change is affecting the animals' biology and behavior. Rising temperatures have caused the South African squirrels to have smaller spines and larger feet, while a temperature spike in Canada caused male squirrels to be unable to breed. The researchers warn that these changes could have wider impacts on the ecosystems in which the squirrels live.