Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 11/07/2007 12:00:18
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Dung beetles. How did they evolve?
Some little prehistoric beastie, merrily waddling along minding his own business when, seemingly from nowhere, he is beset by business from above. Elephant business. Falling on poor little beastie's noggin.
"Ouch", says the little beastie, rubbing his bumpified noggin and straightening his antennae.
Then, suddenly (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fthinking%2F3.gif&hash=0b8e1ef8f20d27b15ff9f9e0878e0c14), little beastie has a brainwave.
"Oooh", he muses, "That could actually come in quite handy.
So little beastie decides to take the windfall home with him. But, alas & alack, beastie can't pick up the dung; it's just too big. After many tries, twisting this way & that, grasping, puffing, panting, beastie turns his back on the dung in disgust and kicks out at it. It moves!
"Hey", he realises, "I can push it with my feet".
Little beastie does a handstand, rests his feet against the ball of poo and pushes. It's hard work, but eventually he manages to get it to his home.
However, Mrs Beastie is not impressed.
"Get that out of here", she screams, waving her rolling-pin menacingly, "I've just hoovered"
"I thought the kids might like to play on it", says Mr Beastie.
"Well put it in the garden", Mrs Beastie hollers at him.
So that's what Mr Beastie did. He rolled the dung into the garden & set the kiddie beasties on it to play.
But seriously, what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
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But seriously
[:0] [B)]
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Are you calling Heather Mills "Elephant poo"?
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Are you calling Heather Mills "Elephant poo"?
Do what? [???]
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what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
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what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
Oh, very funny. i suspect it is because older men like leggy blondes [^]
we seem to have gone off topic after 2 posts, is that a record?
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what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fdoh%2F3.gif&hash=4a5b1d07bd8448a8aa35b9dd4e24e2ef)
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what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
Oh, very funny. i suspect it is because older men like leggy blondes [^]
we seem to have gone off topic after 2 posts, is that a record?
Perhaps not, in the same way that "Ebony and Ivory" wasn't a record either.....
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what kind of evolutionary quirk would make a beetle start messing around with elephant poo?
Oh, very funny. i suspect it is because older men like leggy blondes [^]
we seem to have gone off topic after 2 posts, is that a record?
Perhaps not, in the same way that "Ebony and Ivory" wasn't a record either.....
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhitting%2F21.gif&hash=080c170460a22e800b079170961eff10)
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LOL LOL LOL.. You guys Crack me up! LOL
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There is actually a very good scientific reason for The evolution of dung beetles. If anyone is interested, I will gladly fill them in.
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Feating1%2F20.gif&hash=63077d6956a2ad5315c7a3d488fdac8c) (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fevil%2F3.gif&hash=0ece0c60d4fafad186e71ebdd538e4ca)
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If anyone is interested, I will gladly fill them in.
First Paul is looking to bury us in peat bogs, and now you are looking to fill us in - this is becoming a dangerous place [:o][xx(]
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If anyone is interested, I will gladly fill them in.
First Paul is looking to bury us in peat bogs, and now you are looking to fill us in - this is becoming a dangerous place [:o][xx(]
LOL, twice there George.
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If anyone is interested, I will gladly fill them in.
First Paul is looking to bury us in peat bogs, and now you are looking to fill us in - this is becoming a dangerous place [:o][xx(]
LOL LOL...George have you seen Paul's other threads they kinda go hand in hand with those! LOL
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HEE HEE HEE HEE I can't quit laughing! LOL
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LOL LOL...George have you seen Paul's other threads they kinda go hand in hand with those! LOL
just to clarify. i do not have a morbid fascination with the subjects, i just think they are fascinating...although i could be a "serial moderator"..sorry for going off topic there Doc.
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HEE HEE HEE! LOL! OK back on topic..LOL Would one of you most kind gentleman be so kind as to post a picture of dung Beetle as I have never heard of one! LOL!
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(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi148.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fs26%2FDoctorBeaver%2Fdung_beetle.jpg&hash=5e953d2d6b3bee32cfdc18ca2c714bef)
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(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi148.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fs26%2FDoctorBeaver%2Fdung_beetle.jpg&hash=5e953d2d6b3bee32cfdc18ca2c714bef)
He looks like an ordinary Beetle to me .....but wait....wheres his hair? LOL...and Is he pushing around rabbit poop deer poop goat poop or what.. Too brown for goat poop! So perhaps a deer or Rabbit! It is after all dung he is pushing correct?
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To be honest it's probably a great lump of elephant poo, which it has cunningly sculpted into a ball. Whatever it is, it's certainly bigger than bunny buttons.
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It is indeed POOshing elephant dung.
That beetle now plays in Rod Stewart's old band - The Faeces.
(Sorry, that was a crap joke)
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So was mine but I was trying! LOL I am not good at it!
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Contrary to popular belief....it has been extensively documented that the wheelbarrow race http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelbarrow_race was invented as a fun game for the ancient partnership that was the Dung Beetle and Pachyderm Poo.
Records indicate that in the early years Elephant Crap and Dung beetle maintained close alliances and this unique form of joined transportation evolved between the two. Both finding advantages to this union this elite relationship lasted for many thousand of years.
It is just in recent times that the Elephant Poo has decided that it just can not be arsed anymore and the Dung beetle, not being the brightest member of this duo, just has not comprehended it yet. For thousands of years the Elephant Crap and Dung beetle would be seen to be moving in the direction that the beetle was pointing...only now...in this new age....is the reverse noticed......it's just that the beetle has not realised this yet.