Отправлено: 18.05.22 16:06. Заголовок: Fauna of North America

I decided to open a topic for this continent, since it was the only one that remained without one in the foreign section.
I was thinking about the possibility of the snakehead fish and the peacock bass, both introduced species in the USA, surviving in the Neocene. Does it seems plausible? Another animal that could live here is a descendant of the house sparrow. It was also introduced here.

 Отправлено: 23.02.23 15:34. Заголовок: Interesting rodent!..

Interesting rodent!

 Отправлено: 23.02.23 20:12. Заголовок: Interesting rodent!..

Interesting rodent!

 Отправлено: 27.02.23 18:05. Заголовок: Another rodent for N..

Another rodent for North America

Marsh pouched rat (Nectocricetomys mississippiensis)
Order: Rodentia
Family: Nesomyidae
Habitat: Mississipi Delta, swamps and salt marshes
During their expansion, the humans had introduced several different species, sometimes inadvertently and others in proposital way. The Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) was released in Florida and started to reproduce in the region. They survived and spread to other regions. In the Neocene the marsh pouched rat appeared, a direct descendant. It occurs in wetland habitats, such as swamps and salt marshes of the Mississipi Delta.

The marsh pouched rat is a large rodent, reaching up to 90 cm, including the dark gray tail, which makes up half of its total length. The upperparts of their fur is dark brown, while the underside is yellowish-white. Like their ancestors, this species have a well developed cheek pouch, which is used to take food back to their dens. Their hindfeet have well developed webs, which help them move through the water. They have very poor eyesight, depending on their senses of smell and hearing.

This species is omnivorous, feeding on vegetables, insects, crabs, snails, and other items, but have preference for palm fruits and palm kernels. Their cheek pouches allow them to gather up several kilograms of nuts per night for storage underground.

The marsh pouched rat is solitary, males are territorial and tend to be aggressive when they encounter one another. They make burrows in areas that aren’t flooded, but that aren’t distant from the water. The burrow consists of a long passage with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for storage. The marsh pouched rat reaches sexual maturity at 7 months of age. Females are capable of producing up to 10 litters yearly. Gestation is 27 days. It has up to four litters every nine months, with up to six offspring in each litter. They have a lifespan of 4 years.

A close representative species is the Florida pouched rat (Nectocricetomys floridianus), an inhabitant of the subtropical forests and wetlands of the Florida Peninsula. Like their close relative, this species is also a large rodent, reaching up to 85 cm. Their slaty gray tail makes up half of its total length. The upperparts of their fur is black, while the underside is white.

 Отправлено: 27.02.23 20:08. Заголовок: Interesting! But wil..

Interesting! But will its ancestors be able to survive the Dixonian glaciation?

 Отправлено: 27.02.23 20:15. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: Flo..

JOrnitho пишет:

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Florida Peninsula, swamps and salt marshes

I think, it is easy for this one to settle to the west, to Mississippi delta.

 Отправлено: 27.02.23 21:18. Заголовок: Автор пишет: I thin..

Автор пишет:

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I think, it is easy for this one to settle to the west, to Mississippi delta.

Why do you think that it would be the case? Would such habitats fit better in the Mississipi?

 Отправлено: 27.02.23 21:51. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: Wou..

JOrnitho пишет:

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Would such habitats fit better in the Mississipi?

I just think there are no natural obstacles for settling of this rodent farther to the west, and in Mississippi delta it would find the habitual place for life.

 Отправлено: 28.02.23 01:25. Заголовок: Автор пишет: I just..

Автор пишет:

цитата:

I just think there are no natural obstacles for settling of this rodent farther to the west, and in Mississippi delta it would find the habitual place for life.

In this case, do you think that could be possible to have two species? One inhabiting the Mississipi and the other Florida.

 Отправлено: 28.02.23 10:07. Заголовок: I am still not sure ..

I am still not sure if it survives the glaciation.

 Отправлено: 28.02.23 13:20. Заголовок: медведь пишет: I a..

медведь пишет:

цитата:

I am still not sure if it survives the glaciation.

Would Florida be too much affected by the glaciation?

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 19:03. Заголовок: Moving the bestiary ..

Moving the bestiary for the Microwolves chapter of Panama to the North America section.

1. Scotinomys teguina - singing rats - our main heroes: howling microwolfs.
2. Scotinomys xerampelinus - there main rivals - they are bigger and more agressive, but they have smaller microwolf packs (they will be like Canis lupus occidentalis in the world of microwolfs).
3. Nephelomys albigularis - this rodent is omnivorous and can be like a microbear
4. Rheomys raptor - semiaqutical predatory rodent (maybe a water shrew or tiny otter)


Main predators that can hunt on microwolfs:
5.Mustela frenata
6.Falco rufigularis
7.Glaucidium griseiceps - crossing out, i think it is enough one prey bird it he chapter
8.Spilotes pullatus (tiger rat snake) - Tiger rat snakes are solitary quite aggressive snakes that spend most of their life in trees; however, they can hunt in mangrove forest, tropical and subtropical dry broad-leaved forests, wet tropical forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrubs. They are also very good swimmers. Tiger rat snakes are diurnal creatures that hunt by day actively searching for their prey: amphibians, small mammals and birds. This is an egg-laying snake. The female lays 15-25 eggs.

Big prey of microwolfs:
9.Sylvilagus brasiliensis - unfortunately, we decided to remove this animal from the chapter
10.Orthogeomys cavator (maybe could form mounds in the ground that protect the entrance of their tunnels like tiny fortress)
11.Marmosa mexicana (they can live not only on trees, but also in holes on the ground)
12. Colinus cristatus

Main prey of microwolves:
13.Zygodontomys brevicauda - will be "herd" animal (maybe this one could be a tiny bear or a tiny panda, feeding mostly of green grass and occasional insect)
14.Transandinomys talamancae - will be "herd" animal (could live in herds and move like a rabbit)
15.Peromyscus mexicanus - will be "herd" animal (could live in groups like the guinea pig and maybe have tiny horns like the Ceratogaulus)
16.Reithrodontomys sumichrasti
17.Reithrodontomys mexicanus - (nocturnal scansorial and acrobatic species, in the ground the microwolves will catch them)
18.Reithrodontomys creper
19.Handleyomys alfaroi
20.Transandinomys bolivaris
21.Sigmodon hirsutus
22.Heteromys desmarestianus - may become more spiny (can be a tiny porcupine)
23. Oligoryzomys fulvescens (mole like rodents feeding of roots and seeds. Opportunistics, they could use the protection of the tunnels made by the Orthogeomys)


periodical prey
23.Microsciurus alfari subsp. browni (can be preyed in the periods when is looking for food on the land) (can be the diurnal counterpart of the Reithrodontomys)
24.Oryzomys couesi - semiaquatical and omnivorous, it will be interesting hunting on it in shores and water (a semi-aquatic herbivorous species, like a tiny nutria. It could make nests with twigs and grass near water)
25.Cryptotis nigrescens - we probably have to refuse the participation of this animal in the chapter

Other prey
Lizards
26.Lepidodactylus lugubris
Frogs
27.Lithobates vaillanti
28.Dendropsophus ebraccatus (microwolfs will be hunting on them in period of reproduction and eat frogspawn)

Invertebrates
29.Gecarcinus quadratus
30.Megasoma elephas
31.Stilpnochlora azteca or Eneoptera surinamensis - better live only one of them
32.Blaberus giganteus
33. Limax maximus - invasive in a lot of countries of Latin America (may live in North Panama in Neocene)

We should choose whom we live in chapter, who should be thrown away.
The biggest bestiary in one of the chapters: 19 species

Where will the events of the chapter take place?
I propose this territory: at the intersection of savanna, chaparral, evergreen forest and swamp (and mangrove forest) at the mouth of the San Pablo River.
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circled in red

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 19:08. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: wov..

JOrnitho пишет:

цитата:

wovoka пишет:  цитата: 1. Scotinomys teguina - singing rats - our main heroes: howling microwolfs. 2. Scotinomys xerampelinus - there main rivals - they are bigger and more agressive, but they have smaller microwolf packs (they will be like Canis lupus occidentalis in the world of microwolfs). 3. Nephelomys albigularis - this rodent is omnivorous and can be like a microbear 4. Rheomys raptor - semiaqutical predatory rodent The descendant of the Oligoryzomys fulvescens could be like a mole, or like the Blarinomys of South America. It could be a prey of the microwolves, hunted when they leave its holes. wovoka пишет:  цитата: Main predators that can hunt on microwolfs: 5.Mustela frenata 6.Falco rufigularis 7.Glaucidium griseiceps 8.Spilotes pullatus (tiger rat snake) - Tiger rat snakes are solitary quite aggressive snakes that spend most of their life in trees; however, they can hunt in mangrove forest, tropical and subtropical dry broad-leaved forests, wet tropical forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrubs. They are also very good swimmers. Tiger rat snakes are diurnal creatures that hunt by day actively searching for their prey: amphibians, small mammals and birds. This is an egg-laying snake. The female lays 15-25 eggs. I think that we could have these three predators. wovoka пишет:  цитата: Big prey of microwolfs: 9.Sylvilagus brasiliensis 10.Orthogeomys cavator 11.Marmosa mexicana (they can live not only on trees, but also in holes on the ground) 12. Colinus cristatus Maybe we could discard the Sylvilagus? It's too large for the rats to hunt. Colinus' s chicks and eggs can be the ones preyed. wovoka пишет:  цитата: Main prey of microwolves: 13.Zygodontomys brevicauda - will be "herd" animal 14.Transandinomys talamancae - will be "herd" animal 15.Peromyscus mexicanus - will be "herd" animal 16.Reithrodontomys sumichrasti 17.Reithrodontomys mexicanus 18.Reithrodontomys creper 19.Handleyomys alfaroi 20.Transandinomys bolivaris 21.Sigmodon hirsutus 22.Heteromys desmarestianus - may become more spiny If we replace the Sylvilagus, maybe we could have one of these "herd" rodents being like a tiny rabbit? wovoka пишет:  цитата: Where will the events of the chapter take place? I propose this territory: at the intersection of savanna, chaparral, evergreen forest and swamp at the mouth of the San Pablo River. I like it! The presence of the swamp allow us to explore the semi-aquatic animals in the chapter.

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 19:31. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: Th..

JOrnitho пишет:

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The descendant of the Oligoryzomys fulvescens could be like a mole, or like the Blarinomys of South America. It could be a prey of the microwolves, hunted when they leave its holes.

Good idea!

JOrnitho пишет:

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I think that we could have these three predators.

I left three predators, crossed out the owl.

JOrnitho пишет:

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Maybe we could discard the Sylvilagus? It's too large for the rats to hunt.

цитата:

Some red squirrels (genus Tamiasciurus) and Sciurus species of temperate climates will stalk, kill, and eat other squirrels, mice, and adult birds and rabbits for food

So microwolves also can eat rabbits, at least young rabbits. And it will be interesting part of the chapter. But ok, we need to shorten the list of animals in chapter.

JOrnitho пишет:

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Colinus' s chicks and eggs can be the ones preyed.

Colinus is not so big bird, the pack of microwolves can easily kill and eat it.

JOrnitho пишет:

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If we replace the Sylvilagus, maybe we could have one of these "herd" rodents being like a tiny rabbit?

Ok!

Peromyscus mexicanus (Mexican deer mouse) - may be if it is "deer mouse" we can make for it little horns

JOrnitho пишет:

цитата:

I like it! The presence of the swamp allow us to explore the semi-aquatic animals in the chapter.

Not only swamps, don't forget it is a San Pablo river near.

And look at this map, there are a lot of little rivers around:
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 Отправлено: 29.03.23 19:34. Заголовок: Peromyscus mexicanus..

цитата:

Peromyscus mexicanus (Mexican deer mouse) - may be if it is "deer mouse" we can make for it little horns

Like Ceratogaulus?

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 20:07. Заголовок: wovoka пишет: Perom..

wovoka пишет:

цитата:

Peromyscus mexicanus (Mexican deer mouse) - may be if it is "deer mouse" we can make for it little horns

Funny enough, Chinese scientists are already doing it: https://www.zmescience.com/science/chinese-scientists-grow-mini-antlers-on-mice/
However, in our case I think that it would be a Ceratogaulus appearance, like how медведь said. Perhaps it's a defense against the microwolves?

wovoka пишет:

цитата:

Not only swamps, don't forget it is a San Pablo river near. And look at this map, there are a lot of little rivers around:

Many areas for aquatic animals. The astrapotherium-like peccary could live here. Imagine the impact left behind by a herd of such large animals in the territory of a microwolf.

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 20:14. Заголовок: Interesting duscussi..

Interesting duscussionn!
And also I'll describe "crocodile" and "hippo" for Mexico.

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 22:59. Заголовок: медведь пишет: Like..

медведь пишет:

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Like Ceratogaulus?

Yes, but more quick and graceful.

JOrnitho пишет:

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Chinese scientists are already doing it

Cool!

JOrnitho пишет:

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Many areas for aquatic animals.

As I understand this rivers are not very big. Better say rivulets. They are big for microwolves but for astrapotherium-like peccary they are too small.

лягушка пишет:

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And also I'll describe "crocodile" and "hippo" for Mexico.

Here the list of biggest Mexico rivers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_rivers_of_Mexico were you can settle them.
Who will be the ancestors?

 Отправлено: 29.03.23 23:28. Заголовок: JOrnitho, we should ..

JOrnitho, we should choose whom we are crossing out from the bestiary of the chapter of microwolves.
I have checked: maximum in the chapter were 19 species, and we have 32 species.

May be first of all we should shorten the list of rodents hunted by microwolves? Let's live at least five, which are now the most common and spread species and about which enough information can be found to describe their descendants. As a rodentologist, this will be the easiest for you to do.

 Отправлено: 30.03.23 01:29. Заголовок: wovoka пишет: As I ..

wovoka пишет:

цитата:

As I understand this rivers are not very big. Better say rivulets. They are big for microwolves but for astrapotherium-like peccary they are too small.

Then, couldn't we have another large animal in the region? The interaction of the microwolves with their habitat modified by the passage of large animals could be interesting for the chapter.

wovoka пишет:

цитата:

May be first of all we should shorten the list of rodents hunted by microwolves? Let's live at least five, which are now the most common and spread species and about which enough information can be found to describe their descendants. As a rodentologist, this will be the easiest for you to do.

I'll do that after I finish with the descriptions of the Maracaibo Gulf.

 Отправлено: 30.03.23 07:58. Заголовок: JOrnitho пишет: ast..

JOrnitho пишет:

цитата:

astrapotherium-like peccary

They could live in evergreen tropical forest on the shores of Atlantic ocean, and periodically, after rain period, came to savanna and chaparral region to eat high fresh grass and leafes of bushes. And eat berries of Muntingia calabura.

The wicrowolves can eat Lumbricus terrestris on drying manure of astrapotherium-like peccary