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Neocene Florida expanded
jorzek01: I live in the southeastern USA (North Carolina to be exact) and I have read the article on Neocene Florida. In the present, Florida has a huge problem with invasive species, such as Burmese Pythons, Nile Monitors and Green Iguanas just to name a few. Despite attempts by the state to exterminate these animals, these creatures seem to be doing quite well, even surviving cold snaps and some scientists believe these invasive species are evolving to deal with the climate of Florida (there are many articles on this, I wasn't able to link them). Since Neocene Florida will be much warmer and wetter than it is today and be covered in Mangrove swamps, I think it is within the realm of possibility that these creatures could survive the human epoch, persevere through the ice age and mass extinction and evolve into new forms that would flourish in the warmer ecosystems of Florida 25 million years in the future. Your thoughts? I'm very interested to hear what some people on this forum think about the potential possibilities that these invasive species could have if they were to survive in Neocene Florida. Hey btw, Have new organisms, but the website won't let me reply or edit my profile, can somebody help? But yeah here's some of my ideas: New World Pythons: Descendants of Burmese Pythons, they are found across the Gulf of Mexico, from Georgia to Mexico and the Caribbean. This genus consists of creatures of various sizes, with the largest reaching 9 meters. Halpatta: Descendants of the invasive Nile Monitor that have taken the niche of the now extinct American Alligator. North American Tegus: Descendants of Tegus, which in the present have expanded deep into the Southeast USA. Due to their ability to withstand colder temperatures, they are very widespread, with many diverse forms and lifestyles. Carp: Introduced as a big game fish, these large fishes would thrive in Neocene North America, due to the climate and abundance of food. I can definitely see some larger forms evolving in the future. Snakeheads: Another invasive species, snakeheads are a very successful invasive species and their amphibious lifestyle would be ideal for the mangrove swamps.
Автор: Hi, I'm author (one of numerous authors now) of "Neocene project". I think it is an interesting idea. If pythons will survive, they can expand along the coast of Gulf of Mexico to Central America competing to native boas. We can imagine also descendants of pythons inhabiting islands of Caribbean Sae - Cuba, Great Antigua and smaller islands. As for other invasive species, I think pleco catfishes may prosper in southern part of North America. Hmmm, is it possible for them to conquer areas of temperate climate?
Биолог: jorzek01 Hi, I'm the forum's moderator. Welcome to our Neocene project! Your idea is interesting, I agree with the Author.
Старый Ирвин Эллисон: I offer to cross my neocene and author's version
Биолог: jorzek01 Are you going to develop your idea any further?
jorzek01: New World Pythons: Descendants of Burmese Pythons, they are found across the Gulf of Mexico, from Georgia to Mexico and the Caribbean. This genus consists of creatures of various sizes, with the largest reaching 9 meters. North American Tegus: Descendants of Tegus, which in the present have expanded deep into the Southeast USA. Due to their ability to withstand colder temperatures, they are very widespread, with some resembling large varanids and others taking the niche filled by the now extinct American Alligator. I can even see a few adapting to marine environments and behaving in a similar way to seals. Carp: Introduced as a big game fish, these large fishes would thrive in Neocene North America, due to the climate and abundance of food. I can definitely see some larger forms evolving in the future. Snakeheads: Another invasive species, snakeheads are a very successful invasive species and their amphibious lifestyle would be ideal for the mangrove swamps.
jorzek01: These are just some of my ideas, I might have exaggerated the sizes a bit and some of these niches might already be filled. Also, some of these animals arent part of the Florida/Gulf Coast region, but are found elsewhere in the former eastern US. Also these animals mentioned are the larger members of their genus, I felt that listing the smaller ones would take up too much room. Individual species: 1. Clouded Python: This is the largest species of the genus "Neopython". The largest individuals can reach 9 meters, though the average length for an adult is much smaller, with females averaging 6 meters and males 4.5 meters. The name derives from the pattern of the snake, which somewhat resembles that of the clouded leopard. Its range extends from Florida to Louisiana and coastal South Carolina to the north, all the way through the Caribbean to Cuba. Individuals from Cuba and Florida tend to be larger than other specimens, averaging seven meters in these areas. Clouded Pythons are a versatile species and are just as at home in the water as they are on land. Some snakes will swim across the Caribbean to colonize small islands, and there are numerous populations of dwarf pythons found on smaller islands. 2. Seminal Dragon: A member of a genus of North American Tegus, these lizards are similar to their ancestors and fill a niche similar to that of monitor lizards. The largest member of the genus, the Seminal Dragon, lives in Florida, Louisiana and the Cuba. The Dragon has a similar coloration to its ancestor, with the tale having prominent white bands over its black body. Males of this species can grow up to 4 meters and females 3.5 meters, making it one of the longest terrestrial lizards in the Neocene, though it is much skinnier, with the weight of a 4 meter Dragon comparable to a 3 meter Terraguana. The body is lean and streamlined, similar to that of a perentie and built for running and swimming. This fast moving creature's diet is primarily composed of meat, but will also eat fruit as well, filling a niche somewhat similar to that of small bears. In contrast, most other North American Tegus rarely reach above 2 meters. 3. Giant Carp: A large species of fish, native to the rivers of eastern North America, from New England down to Florida. Large individuals can reach lengths of 3 meters of more. This animal is an omnivore, feeding on vegetation and small animals on the river bottom. It is descended from carp introduced to the US as game fish. Coloration can vary enormously among individuals, but is typically rusty orange or dark green. 4. Mangrove Iguana: These descendants of the Green Iguana are semi-aquatic herbivores, similar to their cousins in South America. The largest specimens can approach 3 meters in length. They have a blue green color that allows them to blend into the mangrove swamps. 5. Potomac Snakehead: In the Holocene, humans introduced snakeheads into the Potomac river, which runs through the capital of the former US. These animals proliferated in this new region and established breeding populations. With no other large predators in the waters and a warmer climate, the snakehead managed to proliferate and is now one of the top predators of the rivers and lakes of the Mid-Atlantic region. The Giant Potomac snakehead is a monster fish, reaching 5 meters long.
Биолог: jorzek01 Good work and good species! I think we should also wait for the Author's response, OK? And thank you so much for your participation!
jorzek01: Yeah sounds good!!
Автор: I think there will be a lot of cichlid species in NA (and Florida in particular) ichthyofauna. Also descendants of Gambusia affinis are possible, and some relics of early adaptation of sea-dwelling live-bearers from Caribbean Sea.
jorzek01: I agree with that, Cichilds have become populous in the region and could see them flourishing in Neocene Florida due to the region becoming more tropical. Another interesting species of fish from the coast are invasive lionfishes. Some other interesting species would include descendants of cane toads, tree frogs and geckos, which have flourished since being introduced by mankind. Mongoose have also become common in the Caribbean and I can see them evolving into descent sized predators. Other species that have not been mentioned in previous pages about Florida that could also evolve and flourish in the Neocene are Minks and Opossums.
JOrnitho: Interesting. Perhaps with Florida being more tropical the Didelphis virginiana could originate a group of descendants that have a morphology similar to that of the tropical South American opossums. About the minks, since otters are extinct, would the minks have the opportunity to fill their niche in freshwater areas of North America as a specialized aquatic mammal? The minks already have some semi-aquatic habits and the project already have an aquatic mink living in litorals.
jorzek01: JOrnitho you make a very good point, I did some research into the opossum family and found that a certain genus of South American Oppossum is one of the few marsupials that have adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. One of it's adaptations allows the pouch to be sealed, so that water can't get inside and drown the babies. I was initially only thinking about invasive species when I started this topic, but Neocene Florida as an ecosystem could also potentially be a sort of "epicenter" of marsupial diversity in North America. The region would be dominated by mangrove swamps, with areas of dry ground probably having foliage similar to that of Florida or the Caribbean today: pinewood forests, tall grasses, cypress and palm trees, and sandy soil. Towards the center, "oases" of clear water lakes and streams would form and provide a refuge for animals trying to escape the heat. It would be as if the Everglades expanded northward, past Florida to encompass much of the Gulf Coast region. I could see in this part marsupial predators competing with the placental berls, cats and canine descendants in this part of the continent, alongside the reptilian descendants of invasive species.
Биолог: JOrnitho jorzek01 Thanks for participation, both of you! Good ideas!
JOrnitho: jorzek01, the water opossum (Chironectes minimus) is an interesting animal. The ecosystem of Florida in the Neocene would be a good place for a semi-aquatic descendant of the Didelphis virginiana to live, specially with the extinction of the otters. I wonder if there would be terrestrial descendants of the Didelphis virginiana and which niche they would fill, perhaps some small omnivorous and predators, similar to mustelids and racoons.
Автор: JOrnitho пишет: if there would be terrestrial descendants of the Didelphis virginiana and which niche they would fill In Greenland there is Geopossum - badger-like cold-resistant omnivorous opossum.
jorzek01: Yeah I was thinking of the geopossum when thinking of large generalist marsupial predators, like one that would flll a niche similar to that of a small bear.
jorzek01: A tropical species of littoral mink would also makes some sense too. Florida also has a huge population of Razorbacks (wild boar), so I could see them evolving into some species of herbivores similar to those seen in Africa and Eurasia.
JOrnitho: The wild boars were introduced in several continents. I think that these animals would leave descendants even in South America, where I think they would have a lifestyle similar to the peccaries. In Florida, according to "Neocene: the portrait of the Earth", there is already a succesful descendant of the peccary living there, it's even semi-aquatic. The Tayassuidae is well established in North America. Even so, I think that the wild boars could survive in North America. Maybe the wild boars' descendants became small animals, with nocturnal habits. Perhaps with a behaviour similar to the modern pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) from Asia.
jorzek01: I think the ideas were coming up with very interesting. I would be down to collaborate or help in anyway, I think the Americas could use a few more chapters and I'd be happy to help with ideas.
JOrnitho: I would like to help with chapters, too. The Americas are so vast and with several ecosystems. By the way jorsek01, what do you think of the birds of Florida? Any species that you think could survive into the Neocene? I read that there is several introduced psittacids there
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