Next Up: #7 Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) vs. #10 Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus)! #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:08:25.399Z
Aardvarks are notable for their long nose, wider at the far end, their squared-off head, a tapering tail, & very impressive ears. The body is massive with really thick skin & they have very muscular limbs ending in thick-nailed toesies. (Ratzloff 2011) #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:09:08.758Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamAardvark Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:09:32.731Z
The aardvark's genetic structure is influenced by climate! Research shows that arid regions limit gene flow among aardvark pops, leading to genetic differentiation, suggesting that climate-associated adaptations play a key role in aardvark evolution! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/… #2025MMM
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:09:39.832Z
Southern brown bandicoots are a small marsupials are 40% tail… or they would be if they didn't routinely lose chunks of tail (or all of it) from male combat. Their short, coarse fur ranges from black, grey, brown & golden yellow, with extremely small, rounded ears. #Bandicoot #bandiCUTE #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:10:23.978Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamBandicoot Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:10:46.020Z
Genetics shows how fragmenting landscapes puts species at risk. Genetic analysis of 15 microsats shows Bandicoots living in 14 forest fragments tend to stay close to home. Strategically placed habitat corridors could help, though! #2025MMM link.springer.com/article/10.1…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:10:57.797Z
Tonight in the Nama-Karoo in western South Africa, an Aardvark has dug up… an aardvark cucumber! Usually eating insects, this cucumber is the only fruit aardvarks eat & Aardvark cucumbers rely on aardvarks to disperse their seeds (Shoshani et al 1988) #TagTeam #2018MMM #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:12:07.511Z
Meanwhile, in Western Australia, Yalgorup National Park Bandicoot is poking nose into the ground, digging just 1 of 45 foraging pits he makes a day searching for invertebrates, tubers, seeds & fungi. Manipulating soil for food (biopedturbation) helps soil turnover (Valentine et al. 2012) #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:13:52.866Z
Bandicoot hears grunting & squeaking from nearby, indicating another bandicoot is close! He squeaks back, preparing for battle, readying to “strike with its claws & removing patches of hair." Scooting forward… #MMMagic translocates Bandicoot to the Karoo… (Driessen & Rose 2015) #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:14:41.203Z
Bandicoot sees the big rounded mammal nearby. Clouds cover the full moon's light, shadowing the desert landscape, & Bandicoot mistakes Aardvark for a simple wombat doing wombat deeds. Bandicoot begins to forage for termites #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:15:24.112Z
Aardvark slakes his thirst- the cucumber is a key source of water in this landscape- but still seeking some protein… Aardvark's long snoot starts sniffing for termite #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:16:20.592Z
Bandicoot, still certain the nearby stranger is a wombat, seems unconcerned… but the two are about to converge at a termite mound #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:17:11.399Z
The clouds shift, casting moonlight onto the scene… Bandicoot gazes in horror upon the strange Aardvark… and flees from the stranger in the night… beyond the field of battle! #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:18:57.752Z
AARDVARK SURPRISES BANDICOOT!!!!! #2025MMM
— Marc Kissel (@marckissel.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:19:33.190Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamAardvark Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:20:12.305Z
Can Bandicoot be saved? Yes, but optimizing source populations is key! When re-establishing populations following local extinction, including individuals from less related populations boosts genetic diversity, supports long-term success #RIP #2025MMM link.springer.com/article/10.1…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:20:12.879Z
Next Up: 5th seed Paca (Cuniculus paca) vs. 12th seed Mouse-deer (Tragulus napu) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:22:05.850Z
The mouse-deer is a small, rabbit-sized ungulate weighing between 5 to 8 kg (or ~30 stoats, #StoatsAsMeasurement). A rounded body perched on pencil-thin legs, male mouse-deer have neither horns nor antlers, but small, tusk-like canines #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:22:42.512Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamMouseDeer Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:23:04.506Z
Greater Mouse Deer on Thai mainland today survive only in captivity. Genetics shows inbreeding/reduced ability to adapt. Are they doomed? Nope! Breeding program = more mouse deer in captivity. Now, urgent habitat improvement needed to support reintroduction #2025MMM http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:23:27.480Z
With a rounded body and thick, strong legs, the paca is a large forest rodent (6 -12 kg, or ~50 stoats). They have sleek chocolate-brown fur with several rows of white spots and broad cheekbones (Perez 1992) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:25:38.124Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamPaca Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:25:55.718Z
The Lowland Paca has a one-of-a-kind genetic blueprint that helps confirm where it fits in the rodent family tree! Li et al. (2023) recently sequenced its full mitochondrial DNA, giving us a clearer picture of its evolution. #2025MMM http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:26:53.329Z
Moonlight shimmers across the waters of the Brazilian Pantanal, and the Paca is at the opening of her den. She emits a low, grunt (Sabatini et al 2001) and waits for her young precocious pup to follow her out for a night of foraging. #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:30:00.277Z
On the edge of a different river in Sumatra, the Mouse-deer is moving through the dense underbrush at the edge of his territory. He stop and rubs his jaw along a nearby tree, marking it using the gland under his chin (Ralls et al 1975). #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:30:29.174Z
Satisfied with his efforts, Mouse-deer turns to continue his patrol of his territory, but instead finds himself staring at a hole and the face of an unfamiliar creature. He freezes, one of his front foot slightly raised. #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:31:10.872Z
Paca stares back at the intruding Mouse-deer. GRROOOANNN. A low grumble as Paca grinds her teeth loudly in agitation as the fur along her spine rises. #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:31:40.721Z
Thump. Thump. Thump. Mouse-deer stamps his front feet in an increasing rhythm. Maybe this slightly mouse-deer shaped animal will just go away? #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:32:10.643Z
Paca emits a series of loud grunts and positions her body to shield her pup. With a lurch, she lunges forward, teeth bared… #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:32:27.333Z
And bites down hard on the nose of the Mouse-deer. Startled, Mouse-deer turns and sprints away, leaving Paca still at the entrance to her burrow. #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:33:04.130Z
PACA DEFEATS MOUSEDEER!!!!! #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:33:20.167Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamPaca Art by Mary C Freisner @maryfreisner.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:33:30.080Z
Just look at the Greater Mouse Deer's lil' tongue there! Practically drooling at the potential for new wild habitat after its reintroduction becomes a reality. But until humans can get out of the way, that drool will mostly be applied to captive breeding. #RIP #2025MMM http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:33:34.981Z
Next Up: 4th seed Coati (Nasua narica) vs 13th seed Fig-eating bat (Phyllops falcatus) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:37:00.378Z
With an elgonated nose, pale eye and nose 'mask', and long, slender tail that equals their body length, Coatis look a bit like a stretched out raccoon (to whom they are related, Gompper 1995) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:37:37.734Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamCoati Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:37:57.435Z
Who supports who in Coati social groups? By measuring relatedness using genetic markers, scientists find that coati tend to support close relatives more than unrelated band members. #2025MMM http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:38:18.306Z
The fig-eating bat, also known as the Cuban white-shouldered bat, has broad shoulders a short, square jaw and a short, spear-shaped nose leaf. Unlike most other bats, the membrane between their first and second fingers is transparent #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:39:13.178Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamBat Art by Valeria Pellicer @veppart.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:39:28.500Z
The Fig-eating Bat is nocturnal but has a functional OPN1SW color vision gene, unlike many of its close relatives among noctilionoid bats. It's not just gene loss in this lineage—changes in gene expession (usage) play a role as well #2025MMM elifesciences.org/articles/37412
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:39:35.160Z
Moonlight filters through the forest canopy of Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica as our Coati snuffles along, his long nosed buried in the leaf litter searching for one last snack before bedtime. #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:40:43.202Z
Over on the Caribbean island of Cuba, our Bat stretches a wing and scratches at her shoulder, just below the patch of pure white fur. A warm wind rustles across the surface of her green leaf tent when…WHOOSH! #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:41:15.546Z
She's suddenly mid-air in the Costa Rican forest from #MMMagic translocation! She flings out her long wings just in time, the trailing edge of her wing brushes ever so slightly against a long, fluffy…flower? #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:41:28.398Z
That 'flower' is the upright tail of the Coati! Coati doesn't even notice- he is eating FIGS!!! #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:42:00.263Z
Bat's nose leaf twitches rapidly as she echolocates, getting her bearings. Though the forest is not that differnet from home, she does not like moonlight… (Zeppelini et al 2019). #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:42:31.026Z
and despite the name, Fig-Eating Bat doesn't particularly like FIGS. Analyses of fecal samples reveal this bat consumes Cercropia seeds, non-native rose-apple (Syzgium) & insects. (Mancina and Garcia-Rivera 2000) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:43:05.483Z
CHOMP! CHOMP!! #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:43:14.545Z
Fig-Eating Bat catches an insect RIGHT AS Coati SNAP grabs the bat in his mouth… after all, fecale samples of Coati reveal 10% of their diet can mammal prey! (Alves-Costa et al. 2004; Valenzuela 1998) #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:44:02.469Z
COATI CONSUMES FIGS… AND FIG-EATING BAT!!! #2025MMM
— Alyson Brokaw, PhD (@alybatgirl.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:44:15.576Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamCoati Art by Olivia Pellicer @opellisms.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:44:26.818Z
Fig-eating Bat is gone. Could rapid departure have repercussions? Species richness reaches natural equilibrium. Rapid extinctions – many caused by humans – disrupt it. But scientists can help protect genetic diversity and restore species #RIP #2025MMM http://www.nature.com/articles/s41…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:44:31.620Z
Last Up: #8-seed Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) vs. #9-seed Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:49:08.308Z
The Gelada is a monkey with a tawny, brown shaggy coat- with males flaunting anespecially impressive mantle, intensely herbivorous, these primates spend their days hard at work in the grass mines using nimble fingers to select the best grass blades for eating. (Hiller 2000) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:49:44.132Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamGelada Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:50:01.130Z
Geladas live in multilevel societies w/core units that can form teams/ bands/ communities (small -> large). Snyder-Mackler et al. (2014) used STRs & mtDNA & found that associations among females persisting across generations drives team & band formation. doi.org/10.1111/mec…. #2025MMM
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:50:06.664Z
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are <brace yourselves for shock> a mostly grey-furred macropod. In terms of convergent evolution, they are the marsupial equivalent of a deer: eating grass, widely distributed, living in many different habitats. (Joo 2004) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:51:04.844Z
BUT there are NO hoofed marsupials because when they are born at a VERY early stage of development… they have to commando crawl to the mom's pouch so they have to have grippy front legs… hooves would never be favored by selection! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:51:46.666Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamKangaroo Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:52:06.875Z
A group of Eastern Gray Kangaroos 🦘in Queensland's Sunshine Coast has a unique genetic signature that suggests this area may have been a safe haven for them during ancient climate shifts. 🌏 journals.plos.org/plosone/arti… #2025MMM
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:52:12.476Z
In the woodland grassland of inland Queensland, a strongly muscled male Eastern Grey Kangaroo rests in the shade in the loosely associated mob when he is MMMagically translocated to… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:53:35.730Z
The grassy downward slope below a hill crest on the Guassa Plateau in the Ethiopian Highlands, scanning the hillside, he can see none of his kangaroo mob anywhere nearby… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:54:14.421Z
ALONE, Kangaroo immediately increases his predator vigilance since there are no others to keep an eye & ear out for danger (Colagross & Cockburn 1993; Hume et al. 2019) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:54:47.128Z
Unaware of the marsupial's arrival below, approaching the hill crest, Gelada grazes grass, grumbling to groupmates, edging closer to the hill crest and the downward, grassy slope. #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:55:08.472Z
Seeing no-one below, Kangaroo approaches the hillcrest to look for others… he does his slow, cautious "Two-Move, One Step" Move 1: reach forward and support with front arms, Move 2: Swing back legs forward to replace clawed front paws… getting closer to the hillcrest… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:55:46.034Z
Gelada appears on the edge of the plateau and sees Kangaroo! Gelada gives a quick startled alarm- what the? Is Kangaroo a predator?! This animal looks and moves NOTHING like a leopard! But whatever it is, is 3x bigger than Gelada… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:56:16.438Z
Eastern Grey Kangaroo tries to figure out if Gelada is a predator- that long muzzle is very Dingo-like… and the pimate's mouth begins to open to reveal blade-sharp canines… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:56:57.290Z
<puhft puhft> #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:57:19.802Z
NEARLY-SILENT PAWS PAD IN THE GRASS BEHIND GELADA!!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:58:26.988Z
An Ethiopian Wolf POUNCES INTO THE SCENE!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T01:59:12.305Z
Immediately perceiving danger from the dingo-like canid, KANGAROO releases the impressive kinetic power of macropod jumping to flee down the hill! (Thornton et al. 2022) #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:00:05.271Z
Gelada looks over at the Ethiopian Wolf, now ripping into the rodent it just caught… #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:00:29.516Z
AFTER ALL, March is when solo Ethiopian wolves are most likely to be peacefully hunting rodents amongst grazing Geladas. (Venkataraman et al. 2015) #2025MMM #SCIENCEFTW!!!!!
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:01:03.764Z
GELADA OUTLASTS EASTERN GREY KANGAROO!!!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:01:27.281Z
#2025MMM #DivisionSameandDifferent #TeamGelada Art by Charon Henning @oddangel.bsky.social #mammals #sciart
— V Pellicer- art commissions open! (@veppart.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:01:38.700Z
Eastern Gray Kangaroos have unique genetics influenced by human-made structures! A study by Urbanek et al. shows that elevation & urbanization can impact their gene flow, highlighting the need to consider both factors in conservation planning #2025MMM #RIP link.springer.com/article/10.1…
— Nate Upham (@n8upham.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:02:09.070Z
WOW WHAT A NIGHT!!! Thorold's Deer, Sun Bear, Colugo, Coati, Paca, Paradise Flying Snake, Aardvark, AND Gelada! ADVANCE!! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:05:35.056Z
Wednesday night we complete Round 1 with TUXEDO STYLE! #2025MMM
— Katie Hinde (@mammalssuck.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:06:06.528Z
#2025MMM Round 1 Same & Different BATTLE WINNERS: Thorold’s Deer, Gelada, Paca, Coati, Flying Snake, Colugo, Aardvark and Sun BearJoin us on WEDNESDAY, March 19th at 8PM EST for Round 1 of Tuxedo Style!
— March Mammal Madness (@mmmletsgo.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:08:37.508Z
Christopher N Anderson 
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