Tag

Species

All articles tagged with #species

Turtle's Head Tucking Inside Shell: Is It Possible?

Originally Published 29 days ago — by Live Science

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Source: Live Science

Some turtles, like side-neck turtles and box turtles, can tuck their heads into their shells as a defense mechanism, but sea turtles cannot due to their lighter shells. The turtle shell evolved over nearly 300 million years primarily for protection and support, with different species developing various ways to utilize or not utilize this feature. Fossil evidence shows the shell's evolution from wider ribs and other skeletal modifications, not solely for defense.

Biologist Clarifies Confusions Among 8 Commonly Mistaken Animals

Originally Published 7 months ago — by Forbes

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Source: Forbes

The article explains the importance of accurately distinguishing closely related animal species, such as hares vs. rabbits, bison vs. buffalo, dolphins vs. porpoises, and crows vs. ravens, highlighting their physical and behavioral differences that reflect their unique evolutionary paths and ecological niches.

"Venomous Joro Spiders Set to Invade East Coast This Summer"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by Turn to 10

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Source: Turn to 10

Concerns are rising over the invasion of the venomous Joro spider in the United States, with populations growing in the South and East Coast. While officials state the spiders are not harmful to people or animals and do not seek to enter homes, they may still pose a risk. URI professor Laura Meyerson advises removing their webs and relocating the spiders if found. The species is expected to reach New York and New Jersey this summer.

"Hybridization Drives Evolutionary Breakthrough in Butterflies"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by National Geographic

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Source: National Geographic

Scientists have discovered the first animal species that arose from the merging of two parental species' genomes, providing evidence that hybridization can drive the evolution of new species. The Amazonian butterfly species Heliconius elevatus is a genetic mixture of 1 percent H. melpomene and 99 percent H. pardalinus, with the hybridization event occurring around 180,000 years ago. This finding challenges the traditional "tree of life" model and suggests that there may be more hybrid butterfly species waiting to be discovered through genomic data analysis.

"Unraveling the Genetic Origins of Animal Evolution: From Copy-Paste Errors to Tissue-Specific Expression"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by Interesting Engineering

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Source: Interesting Engineering

Spanish scientists identified over 7,000 groups of genes that can be traced back to the last common ancestor of bilaterians, shedding light on the genetic legacy of animals including mammals, insects, and reptiles that originated 700 million years ago.