| Letters: Identical Values (1 Letter) Letters to the editor. feeds.nytimes.com |
Mystery bird: Northern anteater-chat, Myrmecocichla aethiops | GrrlScientist This mystery bird illustrates the challenges people face when naming organisms as a result of our superficial understanding of evolutionary relationshipsNorthern anteater-chat, Myrmecocichla aethiops, also called the northern anteater, the ant-eating chat or simply the ant-chat, photographed at Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, northeastern Tanzania, Africa.Image: Dan Logen, 23 January 2010. [larger view]. Nikon D300, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender, ISO 1000, f/5.6, 1/1250 secQuestion: Due to our historic misunderstanding of avian evolution and taxonomy as well as the vagaries of giving birds common names, part of this African mystery bird's common name is shared with an Australian group of birds - and even one North American species - none of which are closely related. Can you name this bird, and its similarly named non-relatives?Response: Northern anteater-chat, M. aethiops, is currently grouped together with the chats (formerly sometimes known as chat-thrushes) in the subfamily Saxicolinae. These birds were previously considered to be members of the thrush family (Turdidae), probably due to their comparable beak structures and their similar ground-feeding habits. However, those morphological and behavioral similarities arose because of their corresponding lifestyles and are the result of convergent evolution. Currently, the chats are thought to be Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae), although further study may change that. This discussion underlines the challenges people have historically faced when naming animals and plants because the names we give reflect our biases and our superficial understanding of the biological variation that is possible as well as the evolutionary relationships between all life on earth. The chats are no exception: there are several other groups of songbirds known as "chats" throughout the world, none of which are closely related to each other. The Australian chats (genera Epthianura and Ashbyia within the family, Meliphagidae), are not closely related to the Saxicolinae, nor is the yellow-breasted chat, Icteria virens, a neotropical species of unresolved taxonomy that was originally thought to be a wood-warbler (Parulidae), but now is viewed as being just plain mysterious. If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Video: Cat resorts to desperate measures to wake owner | GrrlScientist This video depicts a hungry cat who resorts to increasingly desperate measures to wake its sleeping ownerIt's Caturday once again, time to relax and recover from a long work week, so I thought I'd help you relieve some of your stress with a smile by sharing one of the funniest videos I've seen.Simon's Cat has his own website.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
China zoo gardener mauled to death by tigers A gardener at a zoo in southern China was mauled to death by five tigers after falling into their pen, Chinese media reported Friday. abc.net.au |
Wind up? In Texas, they farm wind - but don't mention 'climate'... bbc.co.uk |