Jessica Light Profile picture
Mar 20, 2018 22 tweets 14 min read Read on X
NEXT UP: 7th seeded Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) vs 10th seeded Delhi Rhesus (aka, Rhesus Monkey or Rhesus Macaque; Macaca mulatta) #2018MMM
Erethizon dorsatum are the 2nd largest rodents in North America (1st place goes to beavers), weighing anywhere between 5-14 kg (23-64 stoats #stoatsasmeasurement) #2018MMM
When we think porcupines, we think quills, right? Quills & spines have evolved multiple, independent times across the mammal tree of life as a defense strategy & are excellent examples of convergent #evolution (see the hedgehog battle) (animaldiversity.org/collections/sp…) #2018MMM
Want to learn more about anitpredator defenses? Follow Ted Stankowich @CSULBMammalLab (example pubs: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ev… & rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/284/18…) #ActualLivingScientist #2018MMM
Important! Porcupines do not shoot their quills. Physical contact is needed & these refs describe how the process works jstor.org/stable/1375726… & jstor.org/stable/1383565…. In regards to the 2nd link: Uldis Roze = world authority on porcupines #ActualLivingScientist #2018MMM
In an urban environment, porcupines can be quite destructive. With an estimated number of quills at ~30,000 (juniperpublishers.com/jdvs/pdf/JDVS.…), many animals suffer porcupine-induced injuries. Do a quick google image search for "dog quills" & you'll see what I mean. I'll wait #2018MMM
The herbivorous diet of porcupines is deficient in salt, so they will gnaw on (with their impressive rodent incisors) human structures, tools, etc., as a source of sodium chloride. Porcupines can also damage trees (bad for lumber industry), crops, & ornamental plants #2018MMM
Porcupines (Order Rodentia) & rhesus macaques (Order Primates) are both members of superorder Euarchontoglires & last shared a common ancestor ~90 mya (timetree.org). Rhesus macaques are Old World monkeys & diverged from the lineage leading to humans ~25 mya #2018MMM
Rhesus macaques are full of "Did you know?" factoids: large cheek pouches to store food, possess the hereditary blood antigen Rh-factor (shared with humans), often used in research, good swimmers, etc. arkive.org/rhesus-macaque… & animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/… #2018MMM
Widespread across Asia & habitat generalists, rhesus macaques are adaptable & can be found in cities, esp. areas of rapid urbanization. In New Delhi, India (hence "Delhi Rhesus" in our bracket), monkeys have been displaced into urban centers & populations have exploded #2018MMM
Plus, those practicing the Hindu religion consider monkeys to be sacred animals & even feed them certain days of the week. In New Delhi, rhesus macaques number >7,000; they destroy crops, steal food, terrorize, bite (watch out for rabies, tuberculosis, etc), & kill #2018MMM
Aggressive, not afraid of humans, & with no natural predators (although languar monkeys have been used to try to control populations), rhesus macaques are going rogue in New Delhi dw.com/en/in-delhi-mo… & #2018MMM
But, tonight's battle is not in New Delhi. It's east of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) in some trees along a highway, a common porcupine hang-out (inaturalist.org/observations/1…; @inaturalist). Our highly-adaptable rhesus macaque is not bothered by the change in scenery (or snow) #2018MMM
Our macaque is a young male, ~5 yrs old, full of gusto & canines. The porcupine is girdling the upper limbs of a pine tree for bark. Bark is part of the diet of rhesus macaques & our monkey quickly ascends #2018MMM
Hearing rustling, our porcupine chatters his teeth in warning #2018MMM
The rhesus macaque has never encountered a spiky creature before & being an impulsive male, he does not heed the warning. He ignores the porcupine & reaches for some bark #2018MMM
Our porcupine whips its tails around & emits a strong odor while making contact with the macaque link.springer.com/article/10.102… #2018MMM
Our rhesus macaque screams in response & looks at its hand in disbelief. What just happened? What is that smell? Rather than be pricked again, the impetuous rhesus macaque flees #2018MMM
The rhesus macaque overestimates his ability to navigate among the pine trees, misjudging his jumping prowess onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.10… h/t @Mammals_Suck #2018MMM
Aiming to land in the terminal branches of a pine, Delhi rhesus grabs onto an electrical wire... #2018MMM
...and is promptly electrocuted, a major cause of mortality in urban rhesus macaques. The smell of burnt fur permeates the cold, Canada air & our monkey dies an electrifying death onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.11… h/t @Mammals_Suck #DirectorsCut #2018MMM
PORCUPINE QUILLS RHESUS MACAQUE!!!! #2018MMM

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More from @je_light

Apr 3, 2018
UP FIRST TONIGHT: everyone's favorite river horse, the 1-seeded PYGMY HIPPO Hexaprotodon (formally Choeropsis) liberiensis, vs. the scrappy 4-seeded brush wolf, COYOTE Canis latrans! #2018MMM
Many minds came together to bring you tonight's first battle, so a quick hat-tip to @AnneWHilborn, @PKurnath, @TCastanea, & @tinkeringprim8. Seriously, the #teamwork has been amazing #Monstars #2018MMM
To reach the #FinalRoar, Hippo crushed star-nosed mole, intimidated both maned rat & Tasmanian devil, & STOMPED the cheetah out of competition #hangryhippo #2018MMM
Read 36 tweets
Mar 29, 2018
UP NEXT: #3 seed Berlin Boar (Sus scrofa) vs #7 seed Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) #2018MMM
The top-ranked competitor still has homefield advantage, so this Urban Jungle battle takes place in Berlin, Germany. Berlin Board & Porcupine don't have a lot in common; they last shared a common ancestor ~96 mya (timetree.org) #2018MMM
Did you know what "Porcupine" is Latin for "Quill Pig"? Follow #ActualLivingScientist @porcupinedoc for some more amazing porcupine facts #2018MMM
Read 18 tweets
Mar 27, 2018
First up in Kat's Away division, Orinoco Crocodile (#1 seed) vs Goliath Tarantula (#9 seed) #2018MMM
This battle was written by the fabulous @c_n_anderson, & it's a doozy. Buckle up folks #2018MMM
The critically endangered Orinoco crocodile defeated the praying mantis in R1 and faces another arthropod tonight. arkive.org/orinoco-crocod… #2018MMM
Read 17 tweets
Mar 23, 2018
NEXT UP: #3 Crabeater Seal Vs. #6 Jaguarundi!!! #2018MMM
This battle was written by @Drew_Lab. Josh is in the UK right now & he was at Darwin's House today. How cool was that? #2018MMM
The Crabeater Seal skated into R2 after lightly munching on the surprisingly aptly named Edible Dormouse, while the Jaguarundi defeated the Desman #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 22, 2018
NEXT UP: 8th seeded Bothrops asper (Terciopelo or Lancehead) vs. 9th seeded Theraphosa blondi (Goliath Tarantula or Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula) #2018MMM
AKA, THE GREAT VENOM BATTLE OF 2018!! We've seen a lot of venom tonight. Who's ready for more?? #2018MMM
First, a brief review of venomous vs poisonous. Both competitors in this match-up are venomous #2018MMM
Read 21 tweets
Mar 15, 2018
NEXT UP: 6th seed Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) vs 11th seed Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) #2018MMM
Wait, a who and a what? You know...jaguarundi...a New World cat that looks sort of like like a big weasel #2018MMM
Jaguarundi great adaptations include: long & slender body w/short legs, variable coat color, diurnal activity, habitat generalist, &, as a member of the Carnivora, #carnassials #2018MMM
Read 17 tweets

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