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Lizard-Goat!
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17-11-2009 5:46pm#1Fossils of a now extinct type of goat show an unusual adaptation to living on a nutrient poor island (Majorca, Spain). The goats evolved to be small in size and, remarkably, have a very slow metabolism, similar to that of reptiles.
While it was a useful survival strategy, it ironically led to their eventual downfall. Around 3,000 years ago they encountered humans. Due to their slow nature they were easy prey and quicly wiped out. An unfortunate end for a remarkable creature.Fossils of the ancient goat, called Myotragus, were first found on Majorca in the early 1900s. The bones show the species lived on the island for more than five million years.
In most large mammals, constant high growth rates and metabolisms require continuous food supplies. By contrast, reptiles have slow growth rates and flexible metabolisms.
Since resources can fluctuate dramatically on isolated isalnds, reptiles often displace mammals in such places.
But the new study, which looked at the bone histories of several Myotragus individuals, revealed that the goats may have fine-tuned their growth and metabolic rates both seasonally and during irregular times such as droughts—just like reptiles.
Full article here.
Photo by Jordi Nieva0
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