August 29/2024

 

Cats have nearly 300 facial expressions, including a 'play face' they share with humans

By Jennifer Nalewicki 

10/ 30/2023

Cats can use hundreds of facial expressions to communicate, a new study reveals. 

Over the course of a year, researchers recorded a total of 276 distinct facial expressions used among a colony of 50 cats living at a cat cafe in Los Angeles. The felines' faces ranged from playful to aggressive & everything in between, according to the study, published Oct. 18 in the journal Behavioural Processes. 

This is one of the first studies to do a deep dive into the ways felines communicate beyond the obvious purring & meowing.

Facial expressions in dogs, chimpanzees, & humans have been well studied, revealing that humans have 44 facial expressions, canines have 27& chimps have a whopping 357, according to a statement.

But there was a paucity of research on cat expressiveness.

"The literature is so sparse, & many studies only focus on the connection between cats & humans over the course of 10,000 years of domestication," study co-author Brittany Florkiewicz, an assistant professor of psychology at Lyon College in Arkansas, told Live Science. "At the cat cafe, we were able to document spontaneous interactions between the cats & record their facial expressions."

Each individual expression combined roughly 4 of 26 unique facial movements, including parted lips, dilated or constricted pupils, blinking, curled corners of the mouth, nose licks, & different ear positions, according to the study.

In one interaction, researchers noticed that a pair of kitties quickly went from playful to confrontational, with one suddenly crouching down & hissing at one of its littermates before running away.

"It was surprising to see them play-fighting, & then things escalated into an aggressive encounter," Florkiewicz said. "You can see a change in their facial expressions. At first one cat's eyes were more relaxed & its ears & whiskers were pushed forward, a movement to get closer to the other cat. But then things got ugly, & it moved its ears & whiskers backward — its demeanor changed pretty quickly."

After reviewing their recordings, the researchers concluded that more of the felines' expressions were friendly (45%) than aggressive (37%). Another 18% were ambiguous or fell into both categories, according to the study.

Researchers also found that many of the faces, including what they called "a common play face" — expressed with the corners of the mouth drawn back & the jaw dropped to form a laugh — was similar across a number of species, including people, dogs, & monkeys.

More research will be needed to know exactly what the cats were "saying" to one another. But the researchers remain hopeful that the study will help shed light on the myriad expressions displayed by a species that's often called aloof, according to the statement.

"We hope that animal shelters & humane societies can use our research to help better assess the cats in their care," Florkiewicz said. "We've also had companies contact us about wanting to design an app that lets people record [& decode] cats' facial expressions."

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August 21/2024

Small Crickets Amplify Their Sounds With Savvy Engineering

by Cara Giaimo

8/16/2024

To our ears, a chirping cricket is a peaceful addition to an otherwise quiet night. But the cricket himself isn’t going for laid-back. He wants to be seductive, debonair, & loud. That way females will hear, come over, &—to quote a human song going for a similar vibe—pour some sugar on him.

This is harder for some crickets than others, especially those that happen to be smaller than their peers. But the littlest members of some tree cricket species have hit on a solution: They use leaves to make amplifiers that help them sound much louder & bigger than they are, filling the woods with their songs & successfully impressing their potential mates.

Crickets sing by rubbing their front wings together, scraping the hard edge of one wing against the serrated ribs of the other as though they’re playing the cello. But when their wings are too small, the sound waves they produce quickly overlap in the air & cancel each other out, a phenomenon called acoustic short-circuiting. Tree crickets, whose wings are about the size of your pinkie nail, are particularly prone to this problem.

When a small-statured tree cricket wants to turn up, he finds an appropriate leaf & chews a pear-shaped hole just a bit bigger than he is, right in the center. Then he sticks his head & front legs through the hole, holds the edges of his wings against the leaf, & starts sawing away. The leaf effectively makes his wings bigger, further separating the sound waves & letting them cascade across the forest—& into the ears of females—before they have the chance to short-circuit.

Through this feat of engineering, tree crickets can sing 2 or even 3 times as loudly as they would otherwise. Researchers have found that only the smallest & quietest crickets within a species tend to make leaf speakers—& that it works: Females hear an amplified cricket’s way more often, & stay longer, than they would if he were playing an unplugged set.

Range: India & South Africa

Species: Oecanthus henryi, Oecanthus burmeisteri, & several other tree crickets from the genus Oecanthus

How to see them: Listen for a suspiciously loud cricket—& look for a telltale hole in a leaf.

Small Crickets Amplify Their Sounds With Savvy Engineering - Atlas Obscura

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August 14/2024

 

                                             

Hairless Guinea Pig

By Christina Fernandez

12/19/2023

Hairless guinea pigs have little to no hair on their body. They typically have wrinkles around the neck & lower limbs &, like furry guinea pigs, come in a variety of color patterns.

A hairless guinea pig can be one of 2 types: the skinny pig & the Baldwin guinea pig. However, the skinny pig is not one of the 13 guinea pig breeds recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association. Both types of hairless guinea pigs came about as the result of spontaneous genetic mutations about 40 years ago.

Skinny pigs are born almost completely hairless, with some hair on their feet, muzzle, & back that grows with age. On occasion, you may see a skinny pig with extra hair on their face or shoulders & may hear them referred to as “werewolf” skinnies. For all skinnies, their skin is typically smooth to the touch. Skinny pigs are the most common hairless guinea pigs kept as pets.

The Baldwin guinea pig is born with fur that’s progressively lost over the days to months after birth, leaving only the whiskers and, in some cases, hair on the feet. The Baldwin may also have larger & droopier ears than the skinny pig & a rubbery feel to their skin.

The gene that causes both types of hairlessness is recessive, meaning that if 2 hairless guinea pigs are bred, their offspring should always be hairless.

Caring for a Hairless Guinea Pig

Caring for a hairless guinea pig does not differ much from caring for a typical guinea pig. From a dietary perspective, hairless guinea pigs enjoy all the same types of foods & have similar dietary requirements to that of their haired counterparts.

Always feed a guinea pig on a schedule that maintains a healthy body weight & energy level. All guinea pigs should have regular access to long stem forage (hay), fresh greens, & veggies, pellets, as well as a source of vitamin C through oral supplements water or treats.

Hairless guinea pigs can be extremely sensitive to heat, cold, & drafts, so keep them in a comfortable, temperature-regulated area of the house, between 70–75 F. Like all guinea pigs, they may enjoy an occasional trip outdoors to munch on grass. However, be sure not to take them outside in extremely hot or cold weather, as they are prone to sunburn & frostbite when the temperature is extreme.  Also, with any small pet outside, be sure to protect them from predators (including hawks & other large birds flying overhead), & never leave them outside unsupervised.

Hairless guinea pigs have a big appetite & will produce lots of feces, so their cage needs regular cleaning at least once a week & spot-cleaning in between to protect them from developing skin infection from exposure to urine & feces.

Because they lack hair on their body, their skin is more sensitive & prone to irritation & may become dry easily. If your hairless guinea pig’s skin becomes excessively dry or flaky, your veterinarian should be able to recommend topical treatments to help the skin stay better hydrated.

Hairless Guinea Pig Health Issues

With good care, hairless guinea pigs can thrive & bring a lot of joy to your home. They can be predisposed to all the same health issues other guinea pigs experience, such as:

Gastrointestinal issues

Respiratory infection

Dental issues

Skin conditions

Every pet’s appetite, energy level, & overall appearance should be monitored carefully. Routine assessment of your pig’s wellbeing is important, & if you suspect something is wrong, call your veterinarian right away. Having a relationship with a veterinarian who is knowledgeable in guinea pig care is a must. Like cats & dogs, guinea pigs should have annual veterinary check-ups to help ensure they are healthy.

Respiratory Issues

Like other pet guinea pigs, hairless guinea pigs are prone to pneumonia, commonly caused by bacteria including Bordetella, Streptococcus, & Staphylococcus.

Guinea pigs can carry these bacteria in their respiratory tracts without showing symptoms & develop visible signs when sick with other illnesses or when they are exposed to high levels of ammonia caused from wet, soiled bedding. Very young guinea pigs, whose immune systems are still developing, are also more prone to developing pneumonia.

Affected hairless guinea pigs may be lethargic, cough, sneeze, have runny eyes & nose, & show a decreased appetite. In severe cases, they may have trouble breathing. Any guinea pig exhibiting these signs should be checked out by a veterinarian right away.

To prevent respiratory issues in hairless guinea pigs is to ensure you’re cleaning their cage frequently, avoid too many guinea pigs in one habitat, & feed them a nutritious diet including fresh water, hay, pellets infused with vitamin C, plus an additional daily vitamin C supplement in the form of a daily oral tablet or treat.

Dental Problems

A guinea pig’s teeth grow continuously throughout their life, & they need to chew frequently on fibrous hay & wooden toys to keep teeth worn down.

Without hay & wooden toys, guinea pigs’ teeth can overgrow causing jaw pain. In extreme cases, overgrown teeth can become impacted in the jaw, making it too painful for guinea pigs to bite or chew at all.

Some affected guinea pigs, especially those not receiving adequate vitamin C (essential for proper tooth formation), develop sharp points on tooth surfaces from uneven wear. These points can lacerate the gums & tongue & may lead to abscesses in the mouth.

Guinea pigs with dental issues may drool, drop food, eat less, pass less stool, & lose weight.

Any guinea pig with these signs should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. While some dental problems in guinea pigs are genetic, dental disease in guinea pigs may be reduced by ensuring these pets have plenty of hay & untreated wood toys to gnaw on. Additionally, guinea pigs must receive a daily vitamin C supplement.

Gastrointestinal Issues

Hairless guinea pigs, like their haired cousins, rely on a healthy population of bacteria in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts to digest their food properly.

To keep their GI bacteria healthy, guinea pigs must ingest a large amount of fibrous hay daily, along with smaller amounts of vitamin C-enriched pellets & fresh greens.

If they don’t get adequate dietary fiber & consume excessive carbohydrate-rich pellets, or if they stop eating for other reasons (such as dental problems or other illness), their normal GI bacteria can be replaced by harmful, gas-producing bacteria. These harmful bacteria slow down the passage of food through the GI tract, a condition called GI stasis­, & produce toxins that absorb into the blood.

Affected guinea pigs may be weak, lethargic, have little to no appetite, & pass less stool or have diarrhea. If untreated, GI stasis can lead to death. If your hairless guinea pig is showing any of these signs, contact a veterinarian right away.

Other causes of GI disease in guinea pigs includes parasites (such as Giardia & Coccidia) & specific administered antibiotics (given for other illnesses) causing a disturbance of healthy bacteria in their GI tract

Not all GI issues in guinea pigs can be prevented, but the best way to reduce the chances is to provide them with a balanced diet of hay, a limited amount of pelleted food, fresh water, & a daily vitamin C supplement. Keeping their cages clean & reducing overcrowding, if more than one is housed together, also helps decrease exposure to GI  parasites.

Skin Issues in Hairless Guinea Pigs

Because a guinea pig’s hair protects them from the environment & helps insulate them from the cold, hairless guinea pigs may be more prone than their hairless counterparts to developing skin problems from  extremes in temperature. They may also be at increased risk of developing skin problems  from sunburn, trauma, & infectious organisms such as bacterial, fungus, & parasites.

In addition, hairless guinea pigs may develop skin abrasions from bedding, toys, fighting with other guinea pigs, or scratching themselves with overgrown nails.

To prevent self-induced trauma, checking your hairless’ nails regularly to ensure they are kept at an appropriate length. Bedding should be very soft &, if your pig is a chewer, be sure to remove toys or hideaways with jagged edges that could potentially injure their mouths or skin. Soft, fleece-style sleeping cozies are a great addition to any skinny pig’s home.

Ringworm in Hairless Guinea Pigs

Ringworm is a fungal infection that can be seen in all types of guinea pigs, but hairless pigs may be more susceptible. Without hair protecting their skin, hairless guinea pigs may be more prone to developing ringworm because these spores may land directly on & infect their skin. Skin lesions with ringworm typically appear gray to white & dry or crusted. In some cases, the areas may look reddened & irritated.

Ringworm is treatable, but it can take several weeks to months to treat. It’s also contagious, both to other guinea pigs & humans. If you suspect your guinea pig has ringworm, seek veterinary care right away, & be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your pet or bedding, blankets, toys, or other objects they have been in contact with.

Hairless Guinea Pig Temperament & Behavior

Hairless guinea pigs, like most guinea pigs, are gentle & docile creatures. However, all guinea pigs should be handled gently every day when they are young to socialize them & make them comfortable in their new homes.

Guinea pigs are, by nature, social creatures & nothing replaces the bond they form with their own species. Living in pairs or even groups is ideal—but remember, more pigs mean more space is needed.

Ideally, females live with other females, & males with other males to prevent unintended breeding & pregnancy. Males can be territorial, & some may fight, so provide them with adequate space. Whenever introducing new guinea pigs to each other, be sure to do so gradually, initially in side-by-side cages first, before allowing them to contact each other, & never leave them unsupervised when they are together until you are sure that all is harmonious.

Monitor your hairless guinea pig’s behavior with others, especially if they’re new friends. Grooming each other & sleeping together are signs that things are going well. Chasing, biting, & hiding are signs that your pig may be stressed. For hairless guinea pigs, it’s especially important to prevent fighting, as this could lead to unintended skin injury.

If your pigs are not getting along well, try providing more space, more enrichment with separate feeding stations & toys, & consider short, frequent, staged introductions.

Hairless Guinea Pig Grooming

It’s important to keep an eye on your hairless guinea pig’s skin. Wounds, infection, & injury should be assessed by a veterinarian right away for appropriate treatment.

If your pig’s skin is dry, ask your veterinarian if there’s something you can apply to help increase moisture. Aloe vera-based creams, free of harsh chemicals, can be helpful in keeping skin hydrated. Keep an eye on hydration, water intake, & environmental temperature & humidity. Low humidity & high temperatures can lead to dry skin.

Frequent nail trimming is important to prevent unintended self-trauma. It’s natural for guinea pigs to scratch now & again, but if nails are overgrown & your piggy lacks hair, this could lead to an abrasion or deeper wound.

Considerations for Pet Parents

Before considering any type of pet, think about how well suited you are to meeting their needs. Hairless guinea pigs require extra attention to hygiene and skin care, so it may cost a bit more to keep them healthy & happy. Be sure you have the time & finances available to properly care for a hairless guinea pig before you bring one home.

Hairless Guinea Pig FAQs

How long do hairless guinea pigs live?

The typical average hairless guinea pig lifespan is 5 to 7 years, about the same as that of the average haired guinea pig.

How much do hairless guinea pigs cost?

The price for hairless guinea pigs can vary from $120–$150, in most cases. Guinea pigs, just like dogs & cats, are often relinquished to animal shelters for a variety of reasons, so can find them available for adoption. If you’re considering a guinea pig of any type, check with a local rescue group or animal shelter first.

Are hairless guinea pigs hard to take care of?

The care for hairless guinea pig does not dramatically differ from the care of a haired guinea pig. While they require frequent feeding, habitat cleaning, & nail trims, all types of guinea pigs need this kind of care to keep them healthy & happy.

What is the difference between a guinea pig & a hairless guinea pig?

The biggest difference between a hairless & a haired guinea pig is the presence of hair! For the most part, hairless guinea pigs are the same adorable & docile creatures as their haired cousins & share similar needs. However, the hairless guinea pig requires an added bit of attention & care to maintain healthy skin & to prevent skin injury & infection.

Why get a hairless guinea pig?

Hairless guinea pigs, much like other guinea pigs, can bring a ton of joy to your home. If you suffer from allergies to pet hair or can’t be around pet hair, the hairless guinea pig may be a companion to consider.

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Aug. 7/2024

 

How a group of butterflies flew 2,600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping

By Taylor Nicioli

7/1/ 2024

cnn.com

Painted lady butterflies venture far & wide with their impressive migratory patterns that stretch for thousands of miles — but they often travel across land, so they can stop to rest.

Scientists have now found evidence that a group of the winged travelers flew over 2,600 miles (about 4,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping, according to a new study published June 25 in the journal Nature Communications.

The finding ends a decade-long mystery that began when entomologist & lead study author Dr. Gerard Talavera came across around 10 painted lady butterflies, known by the scientific name Vanessa cardui, on a beach in French Guiana in October 2013. The insects, which are not usually found in South America, were worn out with holes & tears in their wings.

“They looked exhausted. They even couldn’t fly very much — they kind of jumped instead of flying,” said Talavera, a Spanish National Research Council senior researcher at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona. “The only explanation that came to my mind was that these were long-distance migrants.”

But crossing an entire ocean was unheard of for butterflies, even ones as worldly as the painted ladies. Talavera, along with his colleagues, had to rule out a few factors before concluding that these butterflies accomplished what was previously thought impossible.

How far a butterfly can fly

An October 2016 study that Talavera coauthored found that painted ladies from Europe migrate in great distances of around 2,500 miles (about 4,000 kilometers) to sub-Saharan Africa, facing obstacles such as the Mediterranean Sea & Sahara Desert. But even so, the butterflies remain mostly over land where they can “stop & refuel, feed on flowers & then get energy to keep going,” Talavera said.

Crossing the Atlantic would take a painted lady butterfly 5 to 8 days, depending on different variables, according to the new study.

Based on analyses of the energy constraints, researchers concluded that the butterflies could fly a maximum of 485 miles (780 kilometers) or so without stopping, but favorable wind conditions are what allowed them to complete the lengthy journey, Talavera said.

“This is actually kind of a record for an insect, especially for a butterfly, to perform such a long flight without possibilities to stop,” said Talavera, who also leads the Worldwide Painted Lady Migration Project, a global citizen science project that tracks the migratory routes of the insects.

There have been other instances in which experts suspect butterflies & other migratory insects of traveling longer distances than usual, turning up on boats, remote islands or countries where they are not usually found, Talavera said.

The researchers believe that these butterflies took part in their annual migration south from Europe but got lost when the wind blew them into the ocean, he added. The butterflies then likely rode out the trade winds, which blow east to west near the equator, until they reached land in South America.

“Getting suspended in the air column at just the right height to take advantage of the trade winds is nothing short of remarkable,” said Dr. Floyd Shockley, collections manager for the department of entomology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, who was not part of the new study. “It kind of begs the question, have they been doing this for a long time, & we just never documented it because we weren’t looking for it in South America?”

The discovery of around 10 out-of-place butterflies, versus the occasional discovered singleton that was likely caught up in storms, could be sufficient evidence that this was a coordinated migratory event for the group of insects, Shockley said.

Tracking a butterfly

Researchers took a few crucial steps to confirm these out-of-place butterflies really did travel across the ocean.

First, to rule out that the insects did not travel over land from North America, the researchers analyzed their DNA, finding it to match with that of European-African populations. Next, the team used a technique known as isotope tracing that looks at the composition of the butterflies’ wings for evidence of the types of plants they ate as caterpillars, said study coauthor Dr. Megan Reich, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. By this method, the scientists concluded the butterflies’ birthplace to be in either Western Europe, North Africa or West Africa, she added.

But the real key to finding the route the butterflies took was a method first described in a September 2018 study led by Talavera that found that pollen clinging to butterflies can be telling of their migratory journey through the plants on which they fed. The butterflies spotted in October 2013 had the pollen of 2 West African plants, Guiera senegalensis & Ziziphus spina-christi. The tropical shrubs flower through August & November, according to the study, & this blooming season lines up with the timeline of the butterflies that Talavera discovered in South America.

Additionally, an analysis of weather data from 48 hours before the discovery of the beached butterflies had shown to be “exceptionally favorable for the butterflies to disperse across the Atlantic from West Africa,” the authors noted in the study.

If the insects traveled from their likely birthplace of Europe, then to Africa & South America, the butterflies’ journey could have consisted of 4,350 miles (7,000 kilometers) or more.

“A lot of people think of butterflies as really fragile creatures. I think this really shows how strong & resilient they are and these amazing journeys that they take — they really shouldn’t be underestimated,” Reich said.

The researchers hope to use the same techniques to investigate the migration patterns of other species of butterflies, she added.

“This is just the first step in sort of a long process of trying to understand why this happened & how this happened,” Shockley said.

If future research finds that the butterflies’ journey is likely a regular migration pattern, it’s among the longest insect migrations in the world, he added.

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July 31/2024

A New Study Explains Cat Facial Expressions — All 276 Of Them!

By Krissy Howard

11/23/2023

Ever feel like your cat might be making faces at you? If you have, you aren't wrong! In fact, they can conceivably make up to 276 faces at you, according to a new study published in ‌Behavioural Processes‌. If you're wondering how an animal with no eyebrows & an average head size that measures no more than 4 inches in diameter can make hundreds of different faces, read on to hear about the exciting recent research that indicates new ideas about feline domestication.

Feline faces & composition

In the 2023 study, 2 researchers, Lauren Scott, & Brittany Florkiewicz, examined 53 adult domestic shorthair felines at the Los Angeles, California, establishment, CatCafé Lounge. The duo used the Facial Action Coding System for cats to measure unique facial movements in both affiliative, or bonding, & non-affiliative contexts. They looked at how complex their facial muscle movements were, as well as the overall composition of the cats' heads, ear positions, whiskers, & pupil sizes. After reviewing nearly 200 minutes of video, they documented 276 distinct facial expressions among the cats, & more than half of them were done for building social bonds among them.

Different facial expressions recorded

It's not hard to measure when cats are using their body language to express unfriendly or even aggressive signals toward another animal, be that a fellow feline, a dog, or a human. It makes sense that cats would act this way because of their comparatively small stature in these cases, & because cats don't really need to rely on one another for survival. In this study, cats of both sexes, all of whom were spayed & neutered, were shown to express assertive or aggressive behaviors about 48.5% of the time. The majority of the time, the cats displayed positive, friendly behaviors to help grow & nurture social bonds more than half of the time.

The friendly expressions appeared as closed eyes with both the ears & whiskers positioned forward on the head, according to a report from CNN. Non-friendly facial signals included ears flattened against the head, narrow pupils, & lip-licking to signal that other cats should stay away. The affiliative, or friendly, signals may be recent adaptations to cats' facial expressions due to things like cohabitation within the same home, feral colonies where multiple cats are fed & housed together, & overcrowding in heavily populated cities. As none of these would likely happen among wild cats, the research team's findings suggest that domestication likely has a huge part in how & why pet cats make so many faces.

Cat body language

The body language of cats has long been heralded as the go-to language for understanding cat communication — both among feline friends & between felines & humans. Anyone who's lived with a cat has seen examples of this, including hissing, switching or tapping their tails, slow blinking, purring, & meowing, to name a few. Cats are generally solitary creatures, & many wildcat species don't really live in packs or groups in the wild. Thanks to domestication, housecats are subjected to far more cat-to-cat interaction than their wild ancestors were, which has forced them to develop more complex ways of communicating with one another. Because domesticated cats live in such close proximity to people, it's not out of the question that they've adapted to communicate in similar ways that we do, as evidenced by their preference toward people who use so-called "baby talk" when addressing them.

The bottom line

Domesticated cats can make up to 276 distinct facial expressions, & more than half of them are used to form positive & productive social bonds with other cats around them. Examples of friendly cat facial expressions include forward-facing whiskers & ears, & closed eyes, or eyes that blink slowly, which suggests that a cat is comfortable with those around them. While there's still more work to be done in the area of understanding cat communication, this research makes huge strides in measuring the effects of domestication on our feline friends.

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