The island effect produces giant predatory house mice

[urbpan]

I found out about this on "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me: The NPR News Quiz."

‘Monster mice’ are eating island’s seabirds
Rodents evolved to triple normal size, attack much larger chicks

The island effect produces giant tortoises, giant (flightless) pigeons, and my favorite, giant monitor lizards (Komodo dragons). For some unknown reason, it also produces dwarf humans (Homo florensis) and dwarf elephants (which, according to island biogeographer David Quammen, were originally the chief prey of Komodo dragons).

EDIT: I originally spelled the name "Kwammen," for some reason

Comments

[artemii.livejournal.com]

it also produces other kinds of dwarves -- e.g., the smallest hummingbird in the world is in cuba, which also has numerous other tiny representatives of species.

[artemii.livejournal.com]

and i meant of genus(es), not species. :still sleepy: