Animals

Cetaceans, especially sperm whales, have long been known for their interesting communication abilities. They use a series of clicks called codes to communicate with each other. Research has shown that each clan of sperm whales has its own unique sound characteristics, but a new discovery about their language has amazed scientists.

Biologists have found that sperm whales can combine sound codes, creating musical ornaments and various rhythmic patterns. This led to the development of the “Sperm Whale Phonetic Alphabet”, based on the more than 9,000 unique sounds used by Eastern Caribbean sperm whales.

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Recent observations by a group of scientists in the Ubajara National Park in Brazil led to an interesting discovery – the capuchins living in this area have learned to use tools in the process of hunting. Experts have recorded 214 cases of these primates using stones and sticks to obtain food.

Male capuchins preferred to use stones, while females preferred traditional methods of foraging. The main methods of using tools were to catch spiders and dig tubers out of the ground.

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Researchers have long believed that the Kalimantan barburula, a tiny frog native to the cold streams of western Borneo, is the only species without lungs. However, new observations by specialists from the Florida Museum of Natural History have shown that these organs are still present in this unique frog.

It was previously thought that the lack of lungs was an adaptation to the aquatic habitat of this species. However, the use of a high-resolution microscanner allowed scientists to detect tiny, thin lungs that were “hidden” and not visible during normal observations.

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A unique species of cat appeared in Finland 15 years ago, which aroused wide interest among scientists and animal lovers. These cats are called “salmiak” because of their unusual coloring, reminiscent of the popular licorice beloved by the Finns. Experts from the University of Helsinki conducted a study and discovered the genetic reason for the unique coat color of these animals.

The analysis showed that cats with the Salmiak color had chromosomal rearrangements in the KIT gene, which is responsible for coding white color. This 95,000 base pair DNA deletion mutation is quite large and is not found in normally colored cats.

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A team of biologists conducted research to understand why killer whales have been aggressive towards yachts in the Bay of Cadiz for the past four years. During the analysis, it was found that this behavior is not associated with territorial defense, as it might seem, but is the result of a child’s game.

It turned out that this particular group of killer whales, consisting of 15 individuals, were mostly young male teenagers who were just having fun, being curious and playful. These “games” are typical for killer whales, and unfortunately, they often lead to the death of other animals, becoming undesirable consequences.

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