Researchers studied how long-term climate change shaped the bodies of carnivorans. They report that early ancestors looked like modern mongooses, with long bodies and small, round ears. Two major climate transitions seem to have driven big changes.
The team measured skeletal shapes on more than 850 specimens held at 17 natural history museums. Their sample included almost 200 species in total, with both living and extinct species represented.
The first big shift was about 34 million years ago and the later one was about 15 to 13 million years ago. The authors say these events helped diversify body shapes, and more research is needed to link the results to modern environmental change.
Difficult words
- carnivoran — a group of meat-eating mammalscarnivorans
- ancestor — an animal that lived earlier in the family lineancestors
- transition — a change from one state to anothertransitions
- specimen — an individual used for study or displayspecimens
- extinct — no longer living anywhere on Earth
- diversify — to become more different in type
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Discussion questions
- Why do the authors say more research is needed?
- Have you visited a natural history museum with animal skeletons?
- Which change would you notice first in an animal: body length or ear shape? Why?
