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Mammals have evolved into ant eaters 12 times since the dinosaur age, study finds (phys.org)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/jingszo@lemmy.world
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Mammals have developed some unusual eating habits over the past 100 million years, but a new study has uncovered the surprising lengths to which some have gone to satisfy one of the more peculiar—a taste for ants and termites.

Findings published in Evolution reveal that mammals independently evolved specialized adaptations for exclusively feeding on ants and termites at least 12 times since the Cenozoic era began, roughly 66 million years ago.

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[–] 1 point 1 year ago

Ants are tasty so no wonder.

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    14 comments in c/nottheonion@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 26 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    Are crabs still winning and is there a word like carcinization to describe the mammal -> anteater pipeline?

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    • [–] 20 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    Ants should stop being so fcking tasty if they don't want to be eaten.

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  • [–] 8 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Tasty barely has anything to do with it, they should stop being the most common animal on the planet by like a factor of 8.

    The total biomass of Earth's ant population is estimated at around 12 megatons, that's a fucking lot. I'm told this exceeds the total combined biomass of all wild birds and non-human mammals, and matches about 20% of total human biomass.

    If you put all the creatures of the Earth in a bag and pulled one out at random, you're about 50% likely to pull an ant.

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    • [–] 9 points 9 months ago

    Become a crab. Become an anteater.

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    [–] 8 points 9 months ago

    "This animal eats ants, so let's call it an Anteater."

    "What about this other one that also eats ants?"

    "Uh, I dunno, Numbat I guess?"

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    [–] 4 points 9 months ago

    It makes sense. Ants are delicious!

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    [–] 3 points 9 months ago

    Anteaterization.

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    [–] 5 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    Hahaha, I thought the crab counter was at about 5? Ez win for the anteaters. I mean there were some bivalve boys but there can only be one, true clam.

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