HOME | DD
Qilong — Piscivores - Extant and Extinct
by
Published: 2014-05-20 19:13:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 3006; Favourites: 59; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
A variety of fish-eating animals through time and space, from fish to amphibians to mammals, snakes, crocs, and birds.More here: qilong.wordpress.com/2014/05/2…
Related content
Comments: 12
No saltwater croc? Perfect evidence not all animals that specialize in fish are limited to fish.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I refrained from using a salty because I was trying to encompass a large diversity of groups, and a crocodilian is already represented, being far more piscivorous than a salty (being mainly omnivorous, diet varying according to locale).
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
A saltwater croc is still mostly a fish-eater, however.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I looked into this at the time, and as it turns out, they're not. They eat a lot of fish, yes, but they are generalist carnivores. And looking at them apart from Freshies reveals no fundamental difference anatomically, so the fish-catching behavior is a function of environment and adaptation. Nile crocs also eat fish, but they're not any more "piscivorous." Same holds for caimans, alligators, etc.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
wonder how toadfish evolved those front fins. Watching them waddle confidently on the sea floor is quite mesmerizing. Thought it was a weird looking piece of kelp at first, till it decided to stroll away from my voyeuristic gaze.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That was the point! A lot of fish have developed ways to use their fins to push against the ground or among kelp and whatnot, and is argued to be one of the mechanisms by which thicker and stronger bones would develop in the fins, and thus allow them to operate better as jointed limbs.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Heck, now I want to sculpt one of those critters. You should look into writing papers or novels. Your extensive knowledge and creative skills to create some awesome new tales. (Not that I believe in all that death of the author Rhubarb) It will be time consuming, but your fan base (er...friend base?) might really enjoy sumthing like that. gotta go happiness
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I excluded all dinosaurs and pterosaurs because there is some greater doubt involved there. Extinct taxa included are all aquatic.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aren't mergansers and cormorants dinosaurs?
What's with the circles and crosses?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I never explained the symbols. I will get to that in a bit.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0