Отправлено: 04.05.22 04:20. Заголовок: Fauna of Africa

I'm making this new topic after Биолог mentioned some interesting ideas for descendants of the tree hyraxes with more adaptations for an arboreal lifestyle. I was also thinking that they could be adapted to jump between branches and even trees.
Биолог, do you have more ideas about these animals?

 Отправлено: 18.07.25 16:50. Заголовок: I thought that it co..

цитата:

I thought that it could terrestrial, living in forested areas in Central Africa. It could have spikes and armor like the Nodosauridae ankylosaurs rather than a mace. I'm not sure how the competition with the aardvark would be avoided, though. Other possibility is it evolving in Asia from the same lineage that gave rise to the two Neocene pangolins. What do you think of that possibility?

Yes, that's about it.
As for Asian pangolins, in modern Asia all pangolins are arboreal, even Manis paleojavanica was most likely like that. Will they be able to come down to earth?
By the way, how will such a pangolin carry cubs? Modern pangolins wear them on their backs and at the base of their tails, but will they be able to do the same if they have such impressive spikes? Maybe the cubs will be helped in case of danger by an iron that secretes a caustic secret? (modern pangolins have one)

 Отправлено: 18.07.25 22:19. Заголовок: Chmumrikk пишет: Ye..

Chmumrikk пишет:

цитата:

Yes, that's about it. As for Asian pangolins, in modern Asia all pangolins are arboreal, even Manis paleojavanica was most likely like that. Will they be able to come down to earth? By the way, how will such a pangolin carry cubs? Modern pangolins wear them on their backs and at the base of their tails, but will they be able to do the same if they have such impressive spikes? Maybe the cubs will be helped in case of danger by an iron that secretes a caustic secret? (modern pangolins have one)

If they live in Asia, this species could have evolved to expend mostly of their time on ground, going to trees to rest more safely. Their defenses would allow them to stay in the ground without fearing too much an attack by predators. These defenses could give them the appearence of a Gastonia or Polacanthus dinosaur, with the scales at the base of the tail being fused in a hard structure where the young hold. Perhaps males like this part and it's an adaptation that only females have.

 Отправлено: 22.07.25 20:09. Заголовок: JOrnitho, sorry for ..

JOrnitho, sorry for delay. Yes, this is quite likely, but not in Asia - all Asian pangolin species are arboreal, the only terrestrial pangolin, Smutsia temminckii, lives in Africa. It has the prerequisites for such changes, unlike more woody related species. Although Manis paleojavanica was most likely terrestrial, there are no such pangolins in Asia now.

 Отправлено: 24.07.25 00:56. Заголовок: Chmumrikk пишет: JO..

Chmumrikk пишет:

цитата:

JOrnitho, sorry for delay. Yes, this is quite likely, but not in Asia - all Asian pangolin species are arboreal, the only terrestrial pangolin, Smutsia temminckii, lives in Africa. It has the prerequisites for such changes, unlike more woody related species. Although Manis paleojavanica was most likely terrestrial, there are no such pangolins in Asia now.

Couldn't they become terrestrial? The ancestors of the giant anteater were capable of climbing on trees, maybe the same could happen with pangolins. In the project, one of the existing pangolins in Asia, the mole pangolin, lives underground. The giant terrestrial pangolin could have diverged of its lineage.

 Отправлено: 04.11.25 05:15. Заголовок: I made the habé..

I made the habéby's description.

Habéby (Aepycapra acerata)
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Bovidae
Habitat:Xerophylic bushes, woodlands and savannas of Madagascar.
During the Holocene, humans had introduced many species in new environments due to their economic importance. Among these species were the domestic goat (Capra hircus), which were important for the production of milk, wool and meat. With humanity’s disappearance, some individuals were able to survive and gave rise to new species. The habéby is one of these cases, having split from the same lineage that gave rise to the phobocorn. An inhabitant of the xerophylic bushes, woodlands and savannas of Madagascar, its share name with a sheep-like cryptid that was said to live in this African island.
The habéby is a large animal. The top of its head stands 3-4 meters above the ground and weighting between 500-1000 Kg, with males being larger and heavier than females. Its head is relatively small compared with the rest of its body, its neck is long, as a result of lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, a case of convergent evolution with giraffes, and its legs are long. The ears are long and floppy. Males are hornless due to a dominant gene for the "polled" trait, which had existed in the population of goats that diverged from the one that gave rise to the phobocorn. Males of this species have chestnut brown fur with a stripe of darker hair down the centre of the back and onto the tail, with saddle-like patches on the back. Females and infants are generally more bland in color than the adult males, and lack the stripe down the back. Both sexes have light brown underparts. A light brown “goatee” is also exclusive to the males.
They use their height to feed on leaves that grow in tall trees and bushes, this way avoiding competition with the phobocorns. Habéby will also feed on fruits. When food is abundant during the wet season, the habéby are more spread out. During the dry season, they gather around the remaining evergreen trees and bushes. Mothers tend to feed in open areas, making it easier to detect predators.
The habéby forms matriarchal groups composed of 5-20 matrilineally related females and their offspring. Young males form bachelor groups, while fully adult males are solitary. They can reproduce throughout the year and experience oestrus cycling approximately every 15 days. Reproduction in giraffes is broadly polygamous: a few older males mate with the fertile females. Adult males roam among female-only groups seeking to mate. If two older males arrive in the same group, there will be a dispute for mating rights. Since they are hornless, fights between males consist of individuals pushing and biting each other.
Gestation lasts 400–460 days, after which a single calf is normally born, although twins occur on rare occasions. The mother gives birth standing up, resulting in the calf falling to the ground, severing the umbilical cord. Within a few hours of birth, the calf can run around, but for the first one to three weeks, it spends most of its time hiding. In the herds, the calves two months old will gather in nursery groups while the females forage or drink elsewhere. Calves are at risk of predation, and a mother giraffe will stand over them and kick at an approaching predator. Calves stop nursing at six to eight months. Young individuals reach independence within two years, being at this time that young males are expelled from the mother’s herd . Females are able to reproduce at four years of age, while spermatogenesis in males begins at three to four years of age. However, they are only capable of displaying dominance to reproduce when reaching at least 10 years old. The habéby has a lifespan of 40 years. Due to its size, full grown adults have no predators.

 Отправлено: 04.11.25 21:28. Заголовок: Interesting animal!..

Interesting animal!

 Отправлено: 08.11.25 17:20. Заголовок: I finished the descr..

I finished the description of the kalnoro. It's a relative of the crested lemur.

Kalanoro, or maned lemur (Papiolemur kalanoro)
Order: Primata
Family:Lemuridae
Habitat: Dry deciduous forests of Madagascar’s Central Highlands.
Among the lemur species that survived into the Neocene was the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta). One of its descendants was the genus Papiolemur, large lemurs that filled the niche of baboons in open areas of Madagascar. The type species of this group is the crested lemur, a lemur that partially filled the niche of baboons in Madagascar. A close relative of this species is the kalanoro, or named lemur, an inhabitant of the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar’s Central Highlands. Kalanoro was the name of a humanoid legendary creature/cryptid that was rumored to exist in the island.
The kalanoro is larger than the crested lemur. Males can stand at 98-107 cm when upright and 61-69 cm when at all fours. The females are smaller, with 87-98 cm when upright and 53-62 cm at all fours. The tail is short, measuring 40 cm. While different in size, this species is similar in color to their relatives. The body is colored olive-gray with a darker back and black hands and feet. On the face, the fur is light gray with dark spots around the eyes. Other differences between the two species is the light gray color in the tail of the kalanoro, with relatively darker rings, and the longer sagittal crest, formed by white hair that goes from forehead to nape flowing over the shoulders. The movements of its mane are more limited if compared to that of their close relative. To compensate, the kalanoro is more vocal. Different calls combined with movements of the mane are used to represent alerts and the animal’s mood.
This species is omnivorous, feeding on leaves, fruits, fungi, eggs, flowers, insects and small vertebrates. Like its relatives, the kalanoro has cheek pouches to store food. Gregarious, they form troops of 15-20 individuals. While the members eat, one of them will stay watching for predators.
The troops are formed by one male, females and their offspring, similar to the crested lemurs’ family groups. Reactions during meetings between troops depend on the food resources. They will be aggressive to each other if there is little resources in the environment, especially during the dry season. When there is enough food, mostly during the wet season, such meetings are peaceful. Similar interactions happen when this species meets with the crested lemur in the Southern parts of their distribution.
Females gestate during the dry season, when resources are low. Females give birth during the wet season, when resources are at their peak. Gestation lasts for about 135 days, with one offspring being the norm, although twins may occur. The young lemurs begin to eat solid food after two months and are fully weaned after five months. Sexual maturity is reached within 3 years. Male involvement in infant rearing is limited, although the entire troop, regardless of age or sex, can be seen caring for the young. Young individuals leave their paternal groups within 4 years, seeking to form their own. In the Southern parts of their distribution, hybridization with the crested lemur can happen. This species has a lifespan of 13-15 years.

 Отправлено: 08.11.25 21:32. Заголовок: Interesting animal!..

Interesting animal!

 Отправлено: 09.11.25 02:24. Заголовок: Thanks, медведь! I w..

Thanks, медведь!
I was thinking, would be possible for a lemur to have convergent evolution with Callithrix marmosets? It would have enlarged mandibular incisor teeth to gouge holes in trees to extract exudates. If yes, who could be the ancestor?

 Отправлено: 09.11.25 10:30. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: who..

JOrnitho пишет:

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who could be the ancestor?

Microcebus? These small lemurs have certain chance to survive (not all, but some of this genus), and they already feed on tree sap alongside with other kinds of food available for such small primates.

 Отправлено: 09.11.25 15:40. Заголовок: Автор пишет: Microc..

Автор пишет:

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Microcebus? These small lemurs have certain chance to survive (not all, but some of this genus), and they already feed on tree sap alongside with other kinds of food available for such small primates.

Yes. I think that the best ancestor would be the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) could work. It is the most common species of mouse lemur and is also considered Least Concern.

 Отправлено: 09.11.25 19:39. Заголовок: Microcebus? These sm..

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Microcebus? These small lemurs have certain chance to survive (not all, but some of this genus), and they already feed on tree sap alongside with other kinds of food available for such small primates.

Good idea!

 Отправлено: 11.11.25 12:03. Заголовок: JOrnitho, it's a..

JOrnitho, it's a good description, I liked it. An interesting thought.

цитата:

I was thinking, would be possible for a lemur to have convergent evolution with Callithrix marmosets? It would have enlarged mandibular incisor teeth to gouge holes in trees to extract exudates.

I once had the idea of lemurs that looked like rodents, with two pairs of powerful incisors that feed on seeds. Arboreal rodents (and indeed any kind) are few and far between in Madagascar, which could allow primates to occupy this niche. In addition, the extinct Plesiadapiformes had a similar tooth structure and occupied a similar niche. Such "lemur-rodents" could also occupy the niche of woodpeckers, which are absent on the island.

 Отправлено: 11.11.25 13:28. Заголовок: Chmumrikk пишет: I ..

Chmumrikk пишет:

цитата:

I once had the idea of lemurs that looked like rodents, with two pairs of powerful incisors that feed on seeds. Arboreal rodents (and indeed any kind) are few and far between in Madagascar, which could allow primates to occupy this niche. In addition, the extinct Plesiadapiformes had a similar tooth structure and occupied a similar niche. Such "lemur-rodents" could also occupy the niche of woodpeckers, which are absent on the island.

Interesting. They would also fill the niche of the aye aye, which became extinct in the Neocene. Who did you think that could be their ancestors? Would they be nocturnal like the aye aye?

 Отправлено: 11.11.25 20:09. Заголовок: I once had the idea ..

цитата:

I once had the idea of lemurs that looked like rodents, with two pairs of powerful incisors that feed on seeds. Arboreal rodents (and indeed any kind) are few and far between in Madagascar, which could allow primates to occupy this niche. In addition, the extinct Plesiadapiformes had a similar tooth structure and occupied a similar niche. Such "lemur-rodents" could also occupy the niche of woodpeckers, which are absent on the island.

Interesting thought! Would their name be something like "Pseudoplesiadapis"?

 Отправлено: 11.11.25 21:51. Заголовок: медведь пишет: Inte..

медведь пишет:

цитата:

Interesting thought! Would their name be something like "Pseudoplesiadapis"?

Why not Neoadapis? Adapis is considered a stem Strepsirrhini, so could be interesting if these lemurs are the Adapis of the Neocene.

 Отправлено: 13.11.25 05:54. Заголовок: Finished the lemur&#..

Finished the lemur's description:

Masked feather-tailed mouse lemur (Callilemur personatus)
Order:Primata
Family:Cheirogaleidae
Habitat: Semi-deciduous broadleaf tropical forests of Southern Madagascar.
During the Holocene, the lemurs of Madagascar had suffered with the degradation of their habitats due to human actions. Due to that, some species weren’t able to survive into the Neocene. Those that survived, however, were able to give rise to new species. Among the survivors is the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), the most common of the mouse lemurs. This species gave rise to the genus Callilemur, the feather-tailed mouse lemurs. The type species of this genus is the Masked feather-tailed mouse lemur, an inhabitant of the semi-deciduous broadleaf tropical forests of Southern Madagascar.
The masked feather-tailed mouse lemur is a small primate. Its total length is 25 to 28 cm, with a head-body length of 12 to 14 cm and a tail length of 17 to 22 cm. The average weight for this species is 60 g, with ranges of 58 and 67 g. The fur is a mixture of brownish-gold and light grey, with the head being lighter than the rest of the body. This species has characteristic black fur around the eyes, giving the impression that they wear a mask. Their eyes are large, helping the masked feather-tailed mouse lemur to move during the night. The tail has very short fur except for two distinctive rows of long, stiff reddish brown hairs on either side, giving it the appearance of a feather. In a case of convergent evolution with the Cebuella marmosets of the Holocene, the masked feather-tailed mouse lemur have developed a dental morphology adapted to feeding on gum, with specialised incisors that are used to gouge trees and stimulate sap flow. Its cecum also became larger than usual to allow for the greater time gum needs to break down in the stomach. These characteristics are present in all members of the genus Callilemur.
These lemurs have a specialized diet of tree gum. They gnaw holes in the bark of appropriate trees and vines with their specialized dentition to elicit the production of gum. When the sap puddles up in the hole, they lap it up with their tongues. They also lie in wait for insects that are attracted to the sap holes. They supplement their diet with nectar and fruit. Like their ancestors, the feather-tailed mouse lemur enters short states of daily torpor, particularly during the cool, dry Southern Hemisphere winter. During the cooler months, these lemurs select tree holes closer to ground level, where ambient temperatures remain more stable. This allows them to remain in torpor longer, and to conserve metabolic resources.
The masked feather-tailed mouse lemur forages alone at night, but sleeps in groups during the night. This social pattern varies by gender, season, and location. Females tend to share nests with other females and their offspring, whereas males tend to sleep alone or in pairs outside of the breeding season. Groups of females sharing a nest can be relatively stable, consisting of two to nine individuals, although a male may be found with a group of females outside the breeding season. During the breeding season (early spring), males and females may sleep in the same tree hole. Mixed sex groups can be common at this time, with single males sharing nest sites with three to seven females or single females sharing nest sites with one to three males.
Home ranges for the masked feather-tailed mouse lemur are usually small, possibly less than 50 m. Males typically travel further at night and have home ranges that are twice as large as those of females, often overlapping with one another, and always overlapping with at least one female's home range. Male home ranges increase threefold during the breeding season. Female home ranges overlap less than those of males, with them arranging themselves spatially in clusters of related individuals.
Males establish dominance hierarchies prior to the mating season. The females are receptive for 45 to 55 days in early spring, with estrus lasting 1 to 5 days. Females advertise estrus by distinctive high-frequency calls and scent-marking. During mating season, males’ testicles grow in size and sperm competition is present. Gestation lasts 54 to 68 days, typically resulting in 2 or 3 offspring weighing 5 g each. Infants are born in a leaf nest or tree hole in November prior to the onset of the rainy season. Weaning occurs after 25 days, and the infants are either left in the nest or carried in the mother's mouth and deposited on a branch while she forages, since they do not cling to the mother's fur. Independence is attained in 2 months, while sexual maturity is reached at 10 to 29 months in females and 7 to 19 months in males. Closely related females remain loosely associated after maturation, whereas males disperse from their natal area. The masked feather-tailed mouse lemur has a lifespan of 15 years.
Other species in the genus Callilemur are:
Golden-handed feather-tailed mouse lemur (Callilemur midas), an inhabitant of the dry deciduous forests of northern Madagascar. This species is similar in size and fur coloration to the masked feather-tailed mouse lemur, with the difference being the lack of black coloration around the eyes and the presence of golden orange fur in the hands. The head is also darker gray than in the other species.
Silver-headed feather-tailed mouse lemur (Callilemur argentocephalus) inhabits the dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar. This species is also similar in size and fur coloration to the masked feather-tailed mouse lemur. However, it’s characterized by silvery gray fur in the head, lacking black fur around the eyes, and pale reddish brown hands and feet. The head is also darker gray than in the other species.
Highland feather-tailed mouse lemur (Callilemur rufocaudatus) is endemic to the subhumid forests found in the Central Highlands of Madagascar. It’s smaller than the other species, with a body length of 9,5 cm, a tail length of 1 cm and weighing 30 g. The pelage is bicolored cinnamon and yellow ochre, with the head being light gray. The tail is more vivid reddish-brown than in its relatives.

 Отправлено: 13.11.25 10:30. Заголовок: Interesting animal!..

Interesting animal!