Remember Titanboa from a few months ago? It turns out the giant snake had a giant shelled cousin living in the same neighborhood, and the turtle’s shell may have evolved to resist the snake:
Fox News — Named Puentemys mushaisaensis after the pit where it was found, the turtle, whose shell would have extended 5 feet (1.5 m) across, adds to growing evidence that tropical reptiles ballooned after the dinosaurs were wiped out.
Even with its mouth wide open, Titanoboa wouldn’t have been able to down this turtle, not whole at least. And its round, low-domed shape would have increased the surface area exposed to the sun to keep the cold-blooded turtle warm, said study researcher Carlos Jaramillo of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. “The shell was far more rounded than a typical turtle,” Jaramillo told LiveScience.
Tyrant al-Kalām says
First the Dinosaur poo from millions of years ago and resulting Dinogenic Global Warming (DGW) issues, now a piece about coevolution. Fox News should really be more careful with the endorsement of such socialist anti-christian science. I mean, what’s next, the big bang and a rational appreciation of social issues?
richardelguru says
“Giant snake lived with giant turtle cousin”
Even allowing for the Consanguinity problem, I don’t think that the Fundies are going to like that little ‘arrangement’ one bit!
Pierce R. Butler says
richardelguru @ # 2 – why do you think fundies would have objections to cousin-on-cousin cohabitation?
richardelguru says
Pierce
I just like the word ‘consanguinity’. :-)
Pierce R. Butler says
Would it be fair to call you “sanguine” about it?