The common ancestor that links whales and deer existed millions of years ago and exhibited features shared by both groups. This ancestor likely possessed basic artiodactyl characteristics, such as an even number of toes on each foot and a certain bone structure within the ear. Over time, as these creatures diverged to inhabit distinct environments, their physical traits adapted accordingly. Despite these differences, the underlying genetic similarities persist, revealing their deep-rooted connection.
Almost all herbivores are opportunistic carnivores; deer eat birds. Presumably some great swimmers thought the krill (or some other sea life) represented a great opportunity
Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat.
It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet.
38 Comments
NoSpotOfGround@lemmy.world · 88 pts · 361d
Context for this:
ryedaft@sh.itjust.works · 15 pts · 360d
Was the common ancestor carnivorous or herbivorous?
Revan343@lemmy.ca · 22 pts · 360d
Almost all herbivores are opportunistic carnivores; deer eat birds. Presumably some great swimmers thought the krill (or some other sea life) represented a great opportunity
danc4498@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 360d
It ate krill
zedgeist@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 360d
Just krill me now.
danc4498@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 360d
🍤
Hupf@feddit.org · 3 pts · 360d
ryedaft@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 360d
Weird to think that deer descended from krill eaters. Maybe that's why they love salt licks so much.
exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 8 pts · 360d
I remember reading that the common ancestors of all birds was carnivorous. Basically every herbivore bird descended from carnivores.
See also the giant panda and the red panda.
SuperIce@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 360d
Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat.
exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 360d
It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet.
AtariDump@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 360d
Swim away!
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 360d
Omnivorous most likely, then many animals became herbivores or carnivirous
Zerush@lemmy.ml · 64 pts · 360d
cows_are_underrated@feddit.org · 18 pts · 360d
That pug looks like he just wants to die
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 360d
I mean his face was built wrong. can you blame him?
cows_are_underrated@feddit.org · 3 pts · 360d
I absolutely can't.
tempest@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 360d
Can probably only breath while sitting up.
The Ven diagram of pugs I've met whose owners tell me they got surgery to assist breathing is almost a circle
PugJesus@piefed.social · 6 pts · 360d
It's kind of disturbing that we bred a variety of dog that can scream
Zerush@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 360d
I feel with him 😂
starman2112@sh.itjust.works · 61 pts · 361d
One of them gets chronic wasting disease and the other one set the record for the heaviest motherfucker on the planet, I know who I'd rather be
starman2112@sh.itjust.works · 27 pts · 361d
I'd rather be the one with chronic wasting disease bc I have thalassophobia
Not_Dav3@lemmy.world · 74 pts · 361d
So do whales. Their "singing" is actually just them screaming in fear of the hell they're forced to inhabit.
SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org · 21 pts · 360d
Marvelous.
tempest@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 360d
Someone should build a whale MRI to check your hypothesis
Hector@lemmy.world · -10 pts · 360d
Wolves have contracted chronic wasting disease? I thought it had not spread from deer that we were aware of?
It is spreading amongst the deer it is in like half the country now including where I'm at which is one of the first place it was noticed.
rmrf@lemmy.ml · 23 pts · 360d
Homie the second character evolves into a deer
Hector@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 360d
Female hyenas have giant pseudo penises.
iii@mander.xyz · 3 pts · 360d
Don't threaten me with a good time
rmuk@feddit.uk · 3 pts · 359d
Some female humans also have pseudo penises and they're dishwasher safe so checkmate nature.
DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social · 19 pts · 361d
I love fish memes
hDGGgrLpg8nEucjxWnJz@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 361d
Sir, this is a horse meme
Goodtoknow@lemmy.ca · 11 pts · 361d
Can whales into fish?
DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social · 5 pts · 361d
They must by definition
erika_s@piefed.social · 5 pts · 361d
Why not?
RaoulDuke@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 361d
It’s merman!
not_woody_shaw@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 360d
Do they can whales in Japan? Or is it only eaten fresh?
Petter1@discuss.tchncs.de · -4 pts · 361d
😂😂👌🏻