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Raptor talon shape and biomechanical performance determines prey size
Image by Josiane Boute from Pixabay Raptors, or birds of prey such as hawks, vultures, and buzzards, are known for their powerful talons, which are essential for capturing and killing prey. However, despite their significant role in hunting, the variation in talon shape and its impact on a raptor’s ability to capture prey has remained…
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Moa diet fits the bill: Exploring the feeding strategies of extinct giants
Image Credit: Moa by John Megahan, used under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from original. Moa, the gigantic, flightless birds that once roamed New Zealand, are an iconic example of extinct megafauna. These birds, belonging to the Dinornithiformes family, have intrigued scientists for years, but much remains unknown about their feeding habits, niche partitioning, and…
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The predatory behaviour of an extinct ‘cat-like’ marsupial carnivore
Nimbacinus dicksoni was a cat-sized marsupial carnivore from the Thylacinidae family, weighing around 5 kg. It roamed the Australian landscape during the Miocene, and its fossils have been uncovered in Tertiary deposits at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland and Bullock Creek in the Northern Territory. Nimbacinus belonged to the extinct Thylacinidae family, which includes twelve species,…
Marie Attard 