Asymmetrical exchange
Unequal migration across the land-bridge millions of years ago
Octubre 06, 2020
The disproportionate extinction of South American mammals when the Americas collided is still evident today
The disproportionate extinction of South American mammals when the Americas collided is still evident today
Male Fringe-Lipped bats smear a sticky, odorous substance on their forearms. When this was discovered, researchers guessed that it might play a role in mating. Post-doctoral fellow Mariana Muñoz-Romo has confirmed that the presence and size of the forearm "crust" is, indeed correlated with other reproductive traits.
The seminar series via Zoom titled How did I get here? Scientific Stories is carried out thanks to the support of the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB). For the 6th seminar on January 2021, Smithsonian invited Ricardo Moreno, Director of the Yaguará Panama Foundation, STRI Associate Researcher and National Geographic Emerging Explorer with the talk entitled, Advances in scientific research and jaguar conservation in Panama.
The strong relationship formed between two female adult vampire bats may have motivated one of the bats to adopt the other’s baby.
The next time you eat seafood, think about the long-term effects. Will consistently eating the biggest fish or the biggest conch, mean that only the smaller individuals will have a chance to reproduce?
The new graphic novel tells the story of the Isthmus’ formation and evolution through the adventures of a young Panamanian girl.
About 66 million years ago, a huge asteroid crashed into what is now the Yucatan, plunging the Earth into darkness. The impact transformed tropical rainforests, giving rise to the reign of flowers.
At the Smithsonian’s Bocas del Toro Research Station, in Panama, marine biologist Rachel Collin runs an educational program that recruits international experts to teach and create videos about how to collect, preserve and observe marine invertebrates, passing down their very specific knowledge to aspiring taxonomists.
“Her unification of developmental plasticity and genetics is a huge advance in our understanding of evolution. Her decades-long work with tropical social wasps focusing on careful field observation is testimony to what a careful observer of natural history can contribute to evolutionary biology.”-the Linnean Society
Large marine animals generally have unique functions for the ecosystem. They are also more susceptible to extinction when their habitats are altered. Around 3 million years ago, at least one third of the marine megafauna became extinct, possibly due to sea level fluctuations and the contraction of coastal habitats. This also led to a loss of some of their ecological functions. In the current era, many large marine animals are deemed at risk of extinction. What will be the consequences of this potential loss?