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Tasmanian Devils

All articles tagged with #tasmanian devils

The Lifelong Mystery of Retaining Baby Teeth

Originally Published 2 years ago — by Defector

Tasmanian devils are an exception to the mammalian rule of having two sets of teeth in a lifetime. Unlike humans and most mammals, Tasmanian devils have only one set of teeth that gradually erupts from the gums as they age. This unique evolutionary solution to having teeth in growing animals is different from what we are familiar with. While humans benefit from having a trial run of baby teeth that fit our small jaws, the idea of having a single set of teeth throughout life raises interesting considerations about the pros and cons of our own dental development.

science science-and-nature dental-health evolution mammals science-and-nature tasmanian-devils teeth

Genetic Sequencing Reveals Evolution of Contagious Cancers in Tasmanian Devils.

Originally Published 2 years ago — by Nature.com

A genetic analysis of Tasmanian devils' contagious facial cancers has been conducted, offering insights into how the diseases emerged, evolved and spread. The study tracked the evolution of devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) and devil facial tumour 2 (DFT2), which are both spread by biting. The results show that DFT1 emerged in 1986, while DFT2 didn't arise until 2011. The fast-growing DFT2 cancer could shrink the window for infection, leading to more infections that spread faster, giving the cancer and its variants a competitive edge over less transmissible types.

health biology biology contagious-cancers evolution genetic-analysis tasmanian-devils tumours