Vampire bats are a Halloween staple, and now they’ve got company. Another bat species snatches birds out of the air for a gruesome midnight feast. Songbird DNA has previously shown…
Category: Animals
What the longest woolly rhino horn tells us about the beasts’ biology
The longest woolly rhino horn ever found is providing new insights into the lives of these now extinct animals. The horn — found preserved in Siberian permafrost — stretched over…
To make a tasty yogurt, just add ants (and their microbes)
In parts of Eurasia, the key to a tangy yogurt treat scurries along the forest floor. Red wood ants and their microbes acidify and thicken milk, helping ferment the liquid…
Meet the ‘grue jay,’ a rare hybrid songbird
There was something strange about the turquoise-colored songbird flying around San Antonio in 2023. With its black-and-white tail bands and its jeering honk, it somewhat resembled and sounded like a…
Is camouflage better than warning colors? For insects, it depends
Prey animals can use their colors to hide from predators or dissuade them from attacking. But local conditions determine which option works best. A global study comparing defensive coloration in…
This ‘ghost shark’ has teeth on its forehead
Spotted ratfish, or “ghost sharks,” have forehead teeth that help them grasp onto mates. It’s the first time teeth have been found outside of a mouth.
Bats live with some viruses. But others can do them in
Sometimes even bats need a sick day. Bats are renowned for the ability to be infected with viruses that can be deadly to people without showing signs of the diseases…
Tug or fetch? Some dogs sort toys by how they are used
Dogs that easily learn the names of toys might also mentally sort them by function, a new example of complex cognitive activity in the canine brain.
Octopus arms are adaptable but some are favored for particular jobs
All eight arms of an octopus can be used for whatever their cephalopod owner wishes, but some arms are favored for certain tasks. A new, detailed analysis of how octopuses…
Just like humans, many animals get more aggressive in the heat
Citations E.K. Francispillai, S.M. Dietsch and L.J. Chapman. Effects of temperature on fish aggression and the combined impact of temperature and turbidity on thermal tolerance. Journal of Thermal Biology. Vol. 125, October…
