The family Regisciuridae are close in resemblance to modern squirrels, but they are not at all related. These animals actually derived from dormice. Dormice are even more aggressive hunters than any other rodents today, as they also feed on a variety of insects as well as vegetation. Most species of Regisciurids are good sized animals, with long, bushy tails. They have long legs, and they possess retractable claws like cats. The incisors are designed much like those of the carnivorous rats (family: Caromuridae). Prey is often killed by biting them on the back of the neck and breaking the vertebrae, while at the same time, grasping with the claws. The primary food is any form of meat, whether they hunted the prey themselves or scavenged from another predator. Prey is mostly detected by sight and hearing, which are very acute senses in these animals. They are all diurnal hunters, and vary in size. The smallest species in the family are those of the genus Microsciuropsis. The largest species is in Titanadocus. Microsciuropsis are small and resembles modern ground squirrels. Titanadocus is heavy-boned and resembles a very large lion. The species in this family range from the early to mid Metazoic era, and actually die off as such animals as mongooses and civets get bigger, and Deinognathids also evolve that outcompete these rodents.
These animals live all over, including the Batavian Islands, where smaller Regisciurids drifted in on small floating islands from the mainland. There are 2 species that inhabit the Batavian Islands, those are Regisciuria vulpinus and Callixerus pennicillata. These animals are no bigger than today's foxes and hunt ground-dwelling bats. They are quick and agile animals and will chase prey for short distances, and even partially climb trees to get what they want. Though they cannot chase the tree-dwelling bats through the trees. When not hunting, these animals roost in burrows.
The largest species in the family is Titanadocus striaticaudatus. This animal is unusual looking in that the body is all deep reddish-brown with pale ochre undersides, and the tail has bright black and white stripes that extend down the length of the tail. These animals are hunters of the greatest caliber during their time in the Metazoic. Their prey consists of deer, antelope and pentadactyls. These animals hunt by stalking, sometimes for long periods. They sit and wait for just the right moment to pounce on a prey animal, and then they strike. These animals are the size of a very large male lion, and are pack hunters. Males and females both participate in hunting. There is another species of Titanadocus that inhabits Lemuria, and is considerably smaller and a more active hunter.
The smallest species in the family is Microsciuropsis brevicaudatus. It also has the shortest tail in the family in proportion to body size. All species of Microsciuropsis are small, light-bodied animals, with slender legs, short heads and most of the species have long tails. They mostly hunt small game, though sometimes they may even go so far as to bring down prey the size of an antelope fawn. But their primary prey are ground squirrels, and some, like M. felina, will prey on small lemurs. Sometimes these little predators will take on prey twice their size and weight. They are diurnal animals, at night these animals burrow into the ground and curl up.
Predators are few during the early Metazoic. Large predatory bats are known to take the smaller species and young. In Batavia, they become common victims of the carnivorous sinecrus like Agriopepta. Barofelids, Deinognathids, Ailurocyonids and dogs are also major predators of these rodents. Large mongooses will also prey on these animals. Then there is also the fact that the larger species also feed on the smaller species. Titanadocus is the largest species, and sometimes preys on the smaller species, like Chaeturotheria.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Will Humans Be Extinct in 100 Years?
I think I've always known this in some way. I'd been hearing for many years about Nostradamus's prediction that 2012 will be the end of time for us. I can already see some merit in this belief. For the past 10 years, disasters have been getting worse and seem to be worsening every year. I've been lucky so far that this town has not yet been hit with a major tsunami. We did have a bit of a scare last year. But nothing happened. Also, it seems everywhere I go now, everyone is a homosexual. Not that I have anything at all against homosexuals, I have friends who are gay and I totally respect their beliefs, but they don't have children! So the more gay people there will be, the less the human race will reproduce. Our numbers, so numerous now, will lessen through time. Most of us now, will be dead, or very old, in 100 years. Way beyond the age of having children. Then there is this oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that is wreaking havoc, and I heard it's only going to get worse. Already I heard about this thing called "oil rain". It's raining oil-tainted water in Lousiana. Then there is Obama. He's spending money like crazy. Not only that, but I heard a rumor that he is demanding money. To people outside the USA, these problems may seem localized, but these are BIG problems!! They will before too long, start affecting everyone all over the World! And each one will cause it's own share of human destruction. And that's not all, all over the world there is deforestation, killing of endangered species, pollution, etc, etc, etc, and more. So there is a great deal of merit in what Nostradamus says!
So here is the article I found.
http://news.discovery.com/human/will-humans-be-extinct-within-100-years.html
Will Humans Be Extinct Within 100 Years?
Analysis by Ian O'Neill Wed Jun 23, 2010 07:59 PM ET
Is the clock of doom ticking for mankind? Yes, says an eminent 95-year-old scientist from Australia. Professor Frank Fenner -- the same scientist who brought the myxomatosis virus to rabbits to control their numbers in the 1950's -- is acutely aware of the impact of overpopulation and shortage of resources.
Widely regarded as the World Health Organization's (WHO) finest hour, in 1980 Fenner announced to the World Health Assembly that smallpox had been eradicated.
In an interview with The Australian, the well-respected microbiologist expressed his pessimism for our future. "We're going to become extinct," he said. "Whatever we do now is too late."
After all the hype surrounding the pseudoscience of 2012, I've become a bit numb to "yet another" warning of doomsday, but when a scientist of Fenner's caliber goes on the record to say mankind will die off, it's hard not to listen.
ANALYSIS: Top 10 Reasons Why the World Won't End in 2012
"Homo sapiens will become extinct, perhaps within 100 years," he said. "A lot of other animals will, too. It's an irreversible situation. I think it's too late. I try not to express that because people are trying to do something, but they keep putting it off."
Although efforts are under way to mitigate the worst effects of overpopulation and climate change, Fenner believes it is futile, that our fate is sealed.
The world's population is forecast to balloon to 7 billion next year, putting a terrible strain on food and water supplies. So much so that Fenner predicts "food wars" in the coming decades as nations fight to secure dwindling supplies. Global droughts continue to ravage farmland, intensifying widespread malnutrition and poverty.
Climate change is a big driving factor behind his warning and, in Fenner's opinion, we've passed the point of no return. Although we have the scientific ability to tackle global problems, it's the lack of political will to do anything before the planet turns into a dust bowl that's the problem.
WIDE ANGLE: Global Warming, On the Brink
Although these warnings aren't without merit, I see Fenner's belief that all of mankind may not exist in a century to be overly pessimistic. It's not that I doubt the world will be a very different place in 100 years, it's just that he hasn't considered the technological factors of what makes humans human.
Granted, we're not very good at looking after our planet, and we are in a dire predicament, but thinking we'll be extinct in less than a century is a little over the top. There being a "collapse of civilization" or "rapid population decline" might be a better forecast.
Extinction occurs when every single member of a species dies, so unless a succession of global catastrophes (pandemics, runaway global warming, nuclear wars, collapse of resources, throw in an asteroid impact) happened at the same time, a small number of our descendants should still be able to eke out an existence in sheltered pockets around the planet.
In a paper published in the journal Futures last year, researchers approached the question: Human Extinction: How Could It Happen?
"The human race is unlikely to become extinct without a combination of difficult, severe and catastrophic events," said Tobin Lopes, of the University of Colorado Denver, in an interview with Discovery News. He added that his team "were very surprised about how difficult it was to come up with plausible scenarios in which the entire human race would become extinct."
Sure, we could be faced with a "perfect storm" of catastrophes leading to a mass extinction, but I think it will be more likely that we'll adapt quickly, using technology not necessarily to reverse the damage we have caused, but to support life in a hostile new world.
But this is as speculative as Fenner's gloomy forecast. I suspect the realities of living on a warming planet with a spiraling population and dwindling resources will remain unknown for some time yet. However, if our continuing abuse of resources continues at this rate unchecked, we can be anything but optimistic about our species' future.
So here is the article I found.
http://news.discovery.com/human/will-humans-be-extinct-within-100-years.html
Will Humans Be Extinct Within 100 Years?
Analysis by Ian O'Neill Wed Jun 23, 2010 07:59 PM ET
Is the clock of doom ticking for mankind? Yes, says an eminent 95-year-old scientist from Australia. Professor Frank Fenner -- the same scientist who brought the myxomatosis virus to rabbits to control their numbers in the 1950's -- is acutely aware of the impact of overpopulation and shortage of resources.
Widely regarded as the World Health Organization's (WHO) finest hour, in 1980 Fenner announced to the World Health Assembly that smallpox had been eradicated.
In an interview with The Australian, the well-respected microbiologist expressed his pessimism for our future. "We're going to become extinct," he said. "Whatever we do now is too late."
After all the hype surrounding the pseudoscience of 2012, I've become a bit numb to "yet another" warning of doomsday, but when a scientist of Fenner's caliber goes on the record to say mankind will die off, it's hard not to listen.
ANALYSIS: Top 10 Reasons Why the World Won't End in 2012
"Homo sapiens will become extinct, perhaps within 100 years," he said. "A lot of other animals will, too. It's an irreversible situation. I think it's too late. I try not to express that because people are trying to do something, but they keep putting it off."
Although efforts are under way to mitigate the worst effects of overpopulation and climate change, Fenner believes it is futile, that our fate is sealed.
The world's population is forecast to balloon to 7 billion next year, putting a terrible strain on food and water supplies. So much so that Fenner predicts "food wars" in the coming decades as nations fight to secure dwindling supplies. Global droughts continue to ravage farmland, intensifying widespread malnutrition and poverty.
Climate change is a big driving factor behind his warning and, in Fenner's opinion, we've passed the point of no return. Although we have the scientific ability to tackle global problems, it's the lack of political will to do anything before the planet turns into a dust bowl that's the problem.
WIDE ANGLE: Global Warming, On the Brink
Although these warnings aren't without merit, I see Fenner's belief that all of mankind may not exist in a century to be overly pessimistic. It's not that I doubt the world will be a very different place in 100 years, it's just that he hasn't considered the technological factors of what makes humans human.
Granted, we're not very good at looking after our planet, and we are in a dire predicament, but thinking we'll be extinct in less than a century is a little over the top. There being a "collapse of civilization" or "rapid population decline" might be a better forecast.
Extinction occurs when every single member of a species dies, so unless a succession of global catastrophes (pandemics, runaway global warming, nuclear wars, collapse of resources, throw in an asteroid impact) happened at the same time, a small number of our descendants should still be able to eke out an existence in sheltered pockets around the planet.
In a paper published in the journal Futures last year, researchers approached the question: Human Extinction: How Could It Happen?
"The human race is unlikely to become extinct without a combination of difficult, severe and catastrophic events," said Tobin Lopes, of the University of Colorado Denver, in an interview with Discovery News. He added that his team "were very surprised about how difficult it was to come up with plausible scenarios in which the entire human race would become extinct."
Sure, we could be faced with a "perfect storm" of catastrophes leading to a mass extinction, but I think it will be more likely that we'll adapt quickly, using technology not necessarily to reverse the damage we have caused, but to support life in a hostile new world.
But this is as speculative as Fenner's gloomy forecast. I suspect the realities of living on a warming planet with a spiraling population and dwindling resources will remain unknown for some time yet. However, if our continuing abuse of resources continues at this rate unchecked, we can be anything but optimistic about our species' future.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Family of the Week: The Sea Bears
OK, I've been so busy, but I think it's about time I got back on track! UGH!! My free time is so limited these days.
The sea bears are a small group of large oceanic mammals around during the early Metazoic, before the evolution of the sea monkeys. They actually evolved off the modern black bears, which during the earliest days of the Metazoic, learned to take on a semi-aquatic lifestyle so they could feed on fish. These animals are built with small heads, realtively long necks, sleek bodies, a short tail, and flippers, of which the foreflippers are larger than the rear flippers. Many species have heads that are adorned with some kind of decorative features, particularly most prominent in the males. Females have smaller crests or none at all. The forelimbs are the only ones that have claws. The fur is very short, but thick. During certain times of the year, the bright colors show through from the skin, giving these animals unusual hues, including blues, lavendars and reds. These are not social animals, except during the breeding season. Most of the time, they hunt alone, and swim alone. Rarely do these animals haul out of the water, unlike modern seals or sea lions. These animals only come out of the water to birth their young, or to die. But they do not haul out in huge rookeries like modern seals do. Most species are quite large. The smallest species is Ocearctos, with a length of about 7 feet long from nose to tail. The largest species is in Pterolophus, with an average length of about 30 feet long.
These animals are very fast swimmers, and capable of capturing fish in flight. They can reach top speeds of about 35 mph. They swim much like sea lions, only on a greater magnitude. The head is usually extended out, and guides the rest of the body along in the water, rather like a giant sea serpent. The foreflippers are used more than the rear flippers. Their diet does not stop at fish. These voracious hunters of the deep will also take cephalopods, crabs, oysters, other marine mammals and even birds plucked right from the sky. These animals are among the deepest divers of the early Metazoic. They may dive as deep as a mile down to find food, relying on echolocation to guide them in the darkest realms of the ocean floor. Closer to the surface, these animals have really good eyesight. But their hearing is their most used feature.
Though these animals are very graceful swimmers, they are absolutely poor walkers. They do most everything in the water, including conception. The formal meeting and conception is quick and usually gets finished in a matter of seconds. Then the male and female parts company. A year later, the female hauls out on the beach to birth her cub. Males almost never see the land. Only the females make this pilgrimage every year.
Predators are quite few for these animals, other than sharks, which are ever-present and the major predators of young and adult sea bears. The tail can offer some defense if properly placed. These animals can actually kill or cripple a shark with their powerful tail by striking them in the gills.
The sea bears are a small group of large oceanic mammals around during the early Metazoic, before the evolution of the sea monkeys. They actually evolved off the modern black bears, which during the earliest days of the Metazoic, learned to take on a semi-aquatic lifestyle so they could feed on fish. These animals are built with small heads, realtively long necks, sleek bodies, a short tail, and flippers, of which the foreflippers are larger than the rear flippers. Many species have heads that are adorned with some kind of decorative features, particularly most prominent in the males. Females have smaller crests or none at all. The forelimbs are the only ones that have claws. The fur is very short, but thick. During certain times of the year, the bright colors show through from the skin, giving these animals unusual hues, including blues, lavendars and reds. These are not social animals, except during the breeding season. Most of the time, they hunt alone, and swim alone. Rarely do these animals haul out of the water, unlike modern seals or sea lions. These animals only come out of the water to birth their young, or to die. But they do not haul out in huge rookeries like modern seals do. Most species are quite large. The smallest species is Ocearctos, with a length of about 7 feet long from nose to tail. The largest species is in Pterolophus, with an average length of about 30 feet long.
These animals are very fast swimmers, and capable of capturing fish in flight. They can reach top speeds of about 35 mph. They swim much like sea lions, only on a greater magnitude. The head is usually extended out, and guides the rest of the body along in the water, rather like a giant sea serpent. The foreflippers are used more than the rear flippers. Their diet does not stop at fish. These voracious hunters of the deep will also take cephalopods, crabs, oysters, other marine mammals and even birds plucked right from the sky. These animals are among the deepest divers of the early Metazoic. They may dive as deep as a mile down to find food, relying on echolocation to guide them in the darkest realms of the ocean floor. Closer to the surface, these animals have really good eyesight. But their hearing is their most used feature.
Though these animals are very graceful swimmers, they are absolutely poor walkers. They do most everything in the water, including conception. The formal meeting and conception is quick and usually gets finished in a matter of seconds. Then the male and female parts company. A year later, the female hauls out on the beach to birth her cub. Males almost never see the land. Only the females make this pilgrimage every year.
Predators are quite few for these animals, other than sharks, which are ever-present and the major predators of young and adult sea bears. The tail can offer some defense if properly placed. These animals can actually kill or cripple a shark with their powerful tail by striking them in the gills.
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