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Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

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Re: Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

#11
post #2

The weight of all ants on Earth is roughly equal to the weight of all humans- aka there are a lot of ants. And can be found everywhere mammals are able to live. So they make sense as a food source

> aka there are a lot of ants This is true

[deleted]

Re: Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

#14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ant eating crabs.

Crab eating ants. We'll kill the ones that eat us and eat the ones we kill.

Crabs are already quite susceptible to ants, due to ants being small enough to swarm and attack the joints and gaps of the crab's carapace.

Re: Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

#17
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Crab eating ants. We'll kill the ones that eat us and eat the ones we kill.

Crabs are already quite susceptible to ants, due to ants being small enough to swarm and attack the joints and gaps of the crab's carapace.

What about a crab made out of ants?

Re: Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

#18
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> aka there are a lot of ants This is true

And easier to predate on at scale than humans.

I was thinking maybe that's why the evolved stingers, but it turns out ants evolved from stinging wasps not vice versa.

Re: Mammals Evolved into Ant Eaters 12 Times Since Dinosaur Age, Study Finds

#19
post #12

A bit like [carcinisation]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinisation ) for crustaceans

Another one is, believe it or not, trees: https://eukaryotewritesblog.com/2021/05/02/theres-no-such-th...

Trees really aren't a good example of convergent evolution. The evidence tends more toward "all plants have woodiness genes, and sometimes those genes can be activated/deactivated".

Fruits are, though.

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