so, it’s a predator goat.
I’m going to guess as an island species, it had no natural predators, and therefore the evolutionary pressure for it to have a wide field of view did not exist
Probably, although there would still need to be some evolutionary pressure for forward facing eyes… I wonder what it is.
Depth perception is advantageous. It is even beneficial for island goat activities.
With the absence of natural predators, the disadvantages of the narrow field of view are mostly outweighed by the advantages of depth perception .
beneficial for island goat activities
lmao, “island goat activities” is the best 3 word combination. Here are thoughts what island goat activities are:
- Scavenging for food
- estimating mountain height for rock climbing
- chasing away competitors
Not necessarily, with “genetic drift” random phenotypic changes can happen that have a neutral effect on fitness. So if they don’t need side-facing eyes, then this can just happen randomly. Especially if the sideways eyes are in some way “costly” to maintain
If sideways eyes are “costly” compared to forward facing eyes, then that would technically be a push for forward facing.
Or goats just find forward facing eyes to be sexier.
I know I do
<Gives you the side eye>
There was an interesting study done with zebra finches. In it they glued fake mohawkes on males and found that females selected them over unaltered males, even though it didn’t naturally occur in the species. So there is some precedence for the possibility that the forward facing eyes were simply “sexier”.
I mean you can do a smoldering sexy look at someone if your eyes face sideways. Makes total sense.
Depth perception.
Derception.
Derpception
I’ve always wondered if there was a term for evolutionary changes that weren’t needed!
I’m not sure for that specific case, but in the general case there doesn’t need to be evolutionary pressure for change. If there is no pressure one way or the other random mutations can (and will over time) cause change without environmental reason (genetic drift).
maybe living in caves?
Curious to consider that by being an apex consumer, it is a predator by default, even if its prey is flora.
I mean, it it has pupils like that, it has a wide field of vision. That’s the whole point of rectangular pupils. I would assume that having front-facing eyes would also give it depth perception, but maybe it needed that for making difficult jumps or something?
It DOES seem menacing
‘There’s something out there waiting for us, and it ain’t no man’
“If it bleats, we can kill it.”
That might just be the best thing on the internet :D
I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before! This was fantastic!
“I’m scared, Poncho”
Eater Goats…
Suddenly those creepy Renaissance paintings of animals make a lot more sense.
Is this from the never ending story?
Despite my love for Jim Henson, I still can’t get over the movie adaptation turning Falkor into a fucking dog-worm.
Oh my gosh. Is there a book?!
yes and my copy has the text in red and green ink depending on whether it’s describing reality of the fantasy world. it’s an awesome book!
There are two books … ;-))
Falkor wasn’t played by Anthony Head in the version I saw.
I’ve always wanted to look a goat directly in the eyes. It’s a dream of mine.
i was crowned the GOAT of autism, i would volunteer but i dont like eye contact
That requires a mirror with most goats.
Looks like one of those Oblivion npc
You’re the one I saw in my dreams!
I vote for you as president of the fediverse
Hell no
I think you mean Hail Satan.
Nah, even Satan is uncomfortable looking at that one. Sacrifice not accepted. In fact, resurrected.
This sounds like a CK2 event for the satanic secret society.
“On their journeys some of your brothers and sisters under Satan stumbled upon a goat with strange forward facing eyes. As the blade pierced the animals heart it is consumed by a sulphurous fire.”
“Why did I hear screaming?”
“A few minutes into cleaning the ritual room a vibrant rainbow of fires and smells burst forth upon the ritual dias taking several of your brothers. As the fire clears you see the goat has returned with small yellow squares of paper attached via adhesive to the goat. They are all signed by different gods and demons.”
“This raises many questions.” (+3 diplomacy)
Me when the edibles kick in.
Goats already usually look high, this fella is in the stratosphere
Looks like something in medieval paintings.
Looks like something that needs to be burned with fire
So it’s a predator?
Beat me to it. I was like pretty soon it’s gonna start eating you.
Preys upon grass
Extinct due attacks from behind
GNU
Definitely not UNIX 😬
Why does this look like a child molester?
Forward facing eyes are indicative of a predator.
And they are called kids…
Because forward facing eyes is usually a trait associated with predators.
You think everything looks like a child molester
It was also a cold-blooded mammal.
EDIT: new information suggests they probably were not.
No, it wasn’t. Or to be exact, we don’t know, but it’s highly unlikely. In 2009, the bone growth pattern of Myotragus was thought to occur only in cold blooded animals, but in 2012 they found it is widespread in extant mammals as well.
Oh, that’s good to know! I wondered how a cold-blooded mammal could be a thing.
TIL there was a 5M year old cold-blooded mammal that humans killed off (but ofc).Today I was reminded that science grows as new discoveries are made.
But we still killed the little beasties off. Nothing has changed there.
I actually missed the part that we killed them off. “Heh heh, look at the funny-faced little goats. Let’s kill 'em!” Jerks.
Probably because of capitalism.
Predator goat species any% speedrun when
