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

[vyoma.livejournal.com]

Rats (and mice) will eat insects, and rats are predatory, especially on smaller rodants. The giant rats I mentioned were also predatory on several other species, including birds and reptiles. While predatory rodents may be in the minority now, there were more predatory rodents in the past, and modern mice and rats still carry the genes. It's an odd thing to think about now, because we're used to mice being basically harmless (as long as you don't count Hanta virus, I guess), but it wasn't that long ago in evolutionary terms that relatives of parrots were the top predators in South America. We don't think of parrots as predators today, but keas in New Zealand have been known to attack sheep (http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/kea.html) and eat their fat, kidneys, etc! Polly want a lambchop NOW! Again, an island species adopts a unique strategy here.

That's the thing about nature; no matter what any given human thinks of as the norm, there really isn't one. I've met millipedes that have hit me with something resembling tear gas in my own backyard. Who'd have thunk it?

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

There might be some difference between predatory and territorial as in the case of rats vs. other rodents that threaten their niche/food sources. Mostly, rats just eat eggs (any kind) and babies (any kind). I was more thinking of the innate motor pattern required to be a predatory animal (birds of prey included).

Don't lots of insects and such emit horrible sprays to deter their predators?

[vyoma.livejournal.com]

I used to have a pet rat, and he loved to eat mice. Rats will hunt if there's something good to be hunted. They're total generalists.

Some insects do, but most don't. Only the ones I forget to be careful with while I'm photographing them consistently have solid defenses.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

Rats are opportunists and will eat just about anything. There's a difference, imo, between predatory behavior/motor patterns and being omnivorous.

Seems like pretty much any animal will happily evacuate when they're nervous. :)