For Salty

Just 'cause it's such a rare treat to be in a position to provide additional info to Dr. Taz, I'd like to quibble over the following: I can't think of any asexual mammals, but there are a few exceptions to your statement. For instance, the southwestern whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus velox) is a parthenogenetic reptile, and a whole slew of small crustaceans are either cyclical or obligate asexual reproducers, including several branchiopods (like Daphnia spp), copepods, and ostracods. Of course, there are also a bunch of fish (Poeciliopsis spp. minnows, Japanese carp Carassius auratus langsdorfii, etc) that are all female.One of the great things about evolution is that no matter what "rule" you apply, there will always be exceptions.

Would that be the like the genetic shuffling due to sexual reproduction? No wonder his responses never change! After all, one of the key assertions of his entire "work" is the assumption that sexual reproduction HALTS evolution.

I gotta admit, O Tusked One, it would never in a million years have occurred to me to look up a refereed article on cat fur color. (Of course, one possible explanation for that failure is that I hate cats.) Anyway, I am totally awed by your ability to find relevant articles on any subject.

However, without a citation from the peer-reviewed literature in support of this claim, I have no reason to take your "rumor" as anything but an unsupported assertion. Perhaps Mammuthus can dig one up... Besides, it's scientifically proven that dogs are waaay smarter than cats.Hare B, Brown M, Williamson C, Tomasello M, 2002 The Domestication of Social Cognition in Dogs, Science, 298:1634-1636.

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Dogs are more skillful than great apes at a number of tasks in which they must read human communicative signals indicating the location of hidden food. In this study, we found that wolves who were raised by humans do not show these same skills, whereas domestic dog puppies only a few weeks old, even those that have had little human contact, do show these skills. These findings suggest that during the process of domestication, dogs have been selected for a set of social-cognitive abilities that enable them to communicate with humans in unique ways.

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In addition, dogs provide significant benefit to their owners, unlike, for example cats:Meyer W, Pakur M, 1999, Thoughts about the domestic dog as the catalyst for relations between humans and a body contact object for humans, Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 141(8): 351-9.

quote:

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Based on an intensive analysis of literature, the study summarizes for the first time important but seldom realized reasons for dog keeping by humans. Firstly, the significance of the companion animal domesticated dog as catalyst of numerous different social contacts and communicative interactions of the dog keepers is emphasized. Secondly, the problem of total devotion of dog owners to the animal is discussed including its negative aspects, and the psychogram of a "typical dog owner" is described. Thirdly, the role of the domesticated dog as object of body contact (petting object) for humans is characterized, i.e., the positive effects of tactile stimuli for the emotional and physical well-being of dog owners as well as their animals are presented. All themes are finally discussed in the light of the historical dimension of dog domestication, whereby it is obvious that one of the first uses of this mammalian species was that as an object of affectional touch and hugging to serve basic human emotional needs. In this way it becomes also evident how deeply the dog depends on its owner.

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Can't say that about a cat, now can you?

I think the challenge was for you to prove your amazing talent was replicable under controlled conditions. I.e., by providing relevant citations...