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Fauna of Africa
JOrnitho: 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?
Биолог: JOrnitho Oh, this is interesting, too.
Автор: JOrnitho пишет: strong incisors and claw-like nails to remove the bark You must remember that aye-aye from Madagaskar evolved in conditions of the abscence of woodpeckers. In Africa (and Zinj Land) woodpeckers are present. So, to evolve a similarity of aye-aye, galagos must have a considerable ecological difference from woodpeckers, that allows them evolving in such direction with avoiding the competition.
JOrnitho: Автор пишет: So, to evolve a similarity of aye-aye, galagos must have a considerable ecological difference from woodpeckers, that allows them evolving in such direction with avoiding the competition. I was thinking that they could evolve to be strictly nocturnal. While the woodpeckers feed during the day, the galagos eat during the night. They could also feed of hard fruits.
Биолог: JOrnitho they could evolve to be strictly nocturnal. While the woodpeckers feed during the day, the galagos eat during the night Yes! That's true.
JOrnitho: Could the scientific name Pongoides be good for the genus of orangutan-like colobus? Or Pseudopongo? Since Parapongo already exists in the project, I try to create other names that reflect what this animal looks like.
Биолог: JOrnitho Pseudopongo, because "pongoides" is an adjective, not noun.
JOrnitho: I finished the description of the false-orangutan. Western false-orangutan (Pseudopongo occidentalis) Order: Primates Family: Cercopithecidae Habitat: Tropical forests of Western and Central Africa, tree canopy The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species. One of these new species is the Western false-orangutan. This species is a descendant of Colobinae monkeys from Africa that survived the anthropogenic onslaught during the Holocene. They inhabit the tropical forests of Western and Central Africa. In this species, the male is larger than a female. While he can be 120 to 170 cm long, she is 100 to 120 cm. The male is also heavier, with 50 to 100 kg, while the female has 30 to 50 kg. Beyond their size, a male can be identified by his long white fringes of silky hair, which form a mantle along the sides of its body, and relatively larger canines. Both males and females are mostly black, with a reddish-brown face, arms and legs. Their underparts are dark brown. Differently from their ancestors, this species lacks a long tail, having only a vestigial, short and stumpy one. They have arms longer than the rest of their body, which is used to move through the canopy of the trees. The western false-orangutan has a preference for leaves, but isn’t an obligate folivore. This species can also eat fruits, bark, wood, seeds, flowers, petioles, lianas and arthropods. Leaves usually make up over half of its diet, although fruits are occasionally eaten more depending on the season. When foraging for leaves, they prefer young ones over old. With fleshy fruits, the false-orangutan prefers to eat them unripe, which may serve to reduce competition with primates that eat ripe fruits. Like their colobi ancestors, they are able to digest leaves and other plant fibers with a large, multi-chambered stomach that contains bacteria in certain areas. These primates are mostly arboreal, rarely descending to the ground. This species is active during the day, sleeping at night in nests made of leaves high in the trees. They live in groups formed by a dominant male and four to eight females. Males that are not leading groups either live solitarily or with other outside males in bachelor groups. The females keep the groups cohesive and they are matrilineally related. They rarely disperse from their natal groups, except possibly when they break apart. Males on the other hand, usually leave when they become subadults or adults. They may start out being solitary or in bachelor groups. They gain entry into a social group either by displacing a group male. Aggressive encounters between groups usually involve chases, displays and vocalizations rather than physical contact. Females mature at 8-10 years and males at 9–11 years. They mate year-round and the female gives birth after a gestation of 8 months. Females will purse their lips and slowly approach a male while making eye contact. This serves to urge the male to mount her. If the male does not respond, then she will try to attract his attention by reaching towards him or shaking tree branches. False-orangutan infants are vulnerable and dependent of their mothers, who are their primary caregivers. The males are not active in caring for the young, but they do play a role in socialising them to other youngsters. The male has a largely supportive relationship with the infants in his group and shields them from aggression within the group. Infants remain in contact with their mothers for the first five months and mothers stay near the male for protection. Infants suckle at least once per hour and sleep with their mothers in the same nest. After 30 months, the young are weaned and they start to sleep on their own nests. The males are expelled from the group after they reach sexual maturity. Their lifespan is of 48 years. Another species of the Genus Pseudopongo is the Eastern false-orangutan (Pseudopongo orientalis). This animal inhabits the tropical forests of Eastern Africa. Their are similar to their Western relative, with the exception of their underparts being pale brown and the males having a shorter mantle. They are also smaller, with males being 100 to 150 cm long, while females are 80 to 90 cm long. Their groups are also more numerous and they can venture in forest ground more commonly than the Western false-orangutan. Together, these two species are part of the Family Pseudopongidae.
Биолог: JOrnitho Good primate!
JOrnitho: I looked at the map of the Neocene for more islands and noticed that São Tomé e Príncipe and other of the Gulf of Guiné still exisit. Since they are away from the continent, which species you think that could appear here with this isolation? Maybe some continental ones could reach it.
Биолог: JOrnitho Interesting location! You said they are remote from continents, so continental land fauna has little chance. But birds do have a chance.
JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: You said they are remote from continents, so continental land fauna has little chance. But birds do have a chance. Yes, I think that most land fauna would be descendants of those introduced by the humans.
Биолог: JOrnitho So be it!
JOrnitho: Let's start with São Tomé. The largest predator could be a descendant of the African civet, which was introduced by humans. Their main prey could be a descendant of the goat. Another mammal living here could be a descendant of the mona monkey. While I have an idea of how the civet could be, I was thinking if you have suggestions to for the bovid and primates. Maybe something different, such as complex dysmorphic structures in the case of the goat.
Биолог: JOrnitho suggestions to for the bovid Depends on the size of the predator, the civet in our case. Varies from the size of a mara (if the civet's descendant is the size of an ocelot) to the size of a deer (if the "civet" is the size of a jaguar). a descendant of the mona monkey Good idea, it can be small, the size of a marmoset, beautifully colored.
JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: Depends on the size of the predator, the civet in our case. Varies from the size of a mara (if the civet's descendant is the size of an ocelot) to the size of a deer (if the "civet" is the size of a jaguar). I was thinking that the civet could have the size of a small leopard, with a maximun lenght of 180 cm. Their tail would be short. it can be small, the size of a marmoset, beautifully colored. I like that idea! Their predators could be birds of prey and a descendant of the domestic cat that evolved to live in trees.
лягушка: Interesting. But Sao Tome rift is stil active - may it be new island? It can be colonised by flightless birds.
Биолог: лягушка More probably an archipelago. Flightless birds? From which ancestor?
Автор: Биолог пишет: Flightless birds? From which ancestor? The presence of predators excludes the probability of flightless altricial birds like New Zealand "wrens". So, passerines, cuckoos and parrots do nit fit this idea. Then, let's check precocial birds. The ancestor must be able to cross ocean, so Galliformes are also doubtful (except for quails?). Anseriformes and rails can do it - so, we may expect for a kind of large rail, moorhen or large goose/duck.
JOrnitho: Биолог пишет: More probably an archipelago. While I like this idea, would it be possible to other islands to appear around São Tomé and Príncipe? Автор пишет: so Galliformes are also doubtful (except for quails?). Would be possible for the chickens introduced by the humans in São Tomé and Principe to evolve this way? I'm usure if they would be able to reach the hypothetical islands that could appear during the Neocene. Besides the quails, maybe francolins could also arrive here from continent.
Биолог: JOrnitho would it be possible to other islands to appear around São Tomé and Príncipe? I don't think so.
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