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New Zealand's First Land Mammal Discovered

Posted by kdawson on from the furry-feet dept.

Bob Beale writes to clue us to big news from New Zealand. The country has long been thought to have been devoid of land mammals until recent times. No mammal fossils had ever been found there; but now one has. From the article: "Small but remarkable fossils found in New Zealand will prompt a major rewrite of prehistory textbooks, showing for the first time that the so-called 'land of birds' was once home to mammals as well. The tiny fossilized bones — part of a jaw and hip — belonged to a unique, mouse-sized land animal unlike any other mammal known... The fact that even one land mammal had lived there, at least 16 million years ago, has put paid to the theory that New Zealand's rich bird fauna had evolved there because they had no competition from land mammals."

13 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Mammals?! Oh, my... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought New Zealand only had hobbits and Peter Jackson.

    1. Re:Mammals?! Oh, my... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2, Funny

      My mistake. I meant that he was the One Hobbit to rule all Hobbits.

    2. Re:Mammals?! Oh, my... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 2, Funny

      ... and in the franchise bind them?

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  2. modify the theory by Johnny5000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fact that even one land mammal had lived there, at least 16 million years ago, has put paid to the theory that New Zealand's rich bird fauna had evolved there because they had no competition from land mammals."

    OK, that theory is total crap now.
    Here's the new theory:

    New Zealand's rich bird fauna had evolved there because they had only a little bit of competition from one tiny land mammal.

    --
    The libertarian solution to the failures of capitalism is to apply more capitalism til the failures are fixed.
    1. Re:modify the theory by mr_mischief · · Score: 2, Funny

      One possibility is that this thing and all like it were already as dead as it is now. It's difficult for your offspring to evolve if you don't survive long enough to produce offspring.

    2. Re:modify the theory by florist · · Score: 2, Funny

      So we go from "harmless" to "mostly harmless"?

  3. One theory posits that ancient Australia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...established New Zealand as a colony for its most criminal mammals.

    I suspect these are the bones of a dirty, little rat.

    1. Re:One theory posits that ancient Australia... by vaughanf · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no, no, you have it all wrong, Australia was the penal colony.

      That's why we New Zealanders have so much respect for Australians.

      Their ancestors have stood before some of the most prestigious judges in England!

      On a related note, when going to Australia, there's a field on the form you fill in before entry asking if you have any criminal convictions. DON'T tell the customs people that you didn't realise it was still a requirement. They somehow fail to see the funny side.

  4. Re:well by awing0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    What, held under the dorsal guiding feathers?

    --
    Cthulhu Saves.
  5. Yeah, right, because mice never eat eggs by spun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mice also never eat any kind of insects or seeds that birds eat. In fact, mice and birds have never and will never compete for resources. Long live the mighty mouse/bird alliance!

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  6. Re:well by Rob+the+Bold · · Score: 4, Funny
    maybe as thier shit, thats what i was mostly going by

    That sound you heard going over your head was an African Swallow.

    --
    I am not a crackpot.
  7. Re:well by Vreejack · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe two birds could have carried it together, using a vine.

    --
    "Will future ages believe that such stupid bigotry ever existed!" -- Ivanhoe
  8. Re:well by damien_kane · · Score: 4, Funny

    It might have been two European swallows...