Talk:Hyena

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Why hyena is carnivor

Why hyena is carnivor 180.242.197.104 (talk) 13:30, 3 November 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Wiki Education assignment: Bio 488 Mammalogy

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 23 August 2022 and 16 December 2022. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Bentheiler (article contribs).

— Assignment last updated by Bentheiler (talk) 02:14, 5 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Personal Suggestion...

Some of the facts mentioned in the article generally apply to species in Hyaeninae (spotted, striped and brown hyenas).

But they either don't apply or are not well known in Proteles' (aardwolf) case. Some examples:

- "both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, nonretractable claws are adapted for running and making sharp turns." Meanwhile, aardwolf is a non-arboreal forager (insectivore) that catches insect prey with its tongue (rather than teeth or claws). Due to the nature of its food, it is not known to store it anywhere. It's feet are not large but do retain nonretractable claws.

- "(Hyenas) ... are fairly massive and wolf-like in build.... Their skulls superficially resemble those of large canids, but are much larger and heavier, with shorter facial portions." Aardwolves are much smaller and lighter in terms of their general build as well as skull.
Skull Specs of example species:
Aardwolf: 14.4 cm * 7.85 cm * 5.6 cm (79.6 g)
Spotted Hyena: 23.9 cm * 14.9 cm * 10.9 cm (667 g)
Striped Hyena: 22.4 cm * 14.8 cm * 10.4 cm (493 g)

Grey Wolf: 26.5 cm * 14.4 cm * 11.6 cm (532 g)
African Wild Dog: 21.2 cm * 13.1 cm * 9.2 cm (294 g)
(Ref: https://skullbase.info/skullbase/skulls/)

- The paragraph on dentition (in Build): I think the para can elaborate how different the aardwolf skull and dentition is from other hyenas' skulls. There are similarities in the external shape but otherwise differences in the overall skull size and dentition. Aside from the reduced cheek teeth (which is mentioned), they retain sharp canines and a fairly strong jaw, but it's still much weaker compared to other hyenas and certainly not for crushing bones or anything similarly hard. Also for the dental formula: The more recently reported for Proteles is 3/3, 1/1, 3/2-1, 1/1-2 = 28-32 (as opposed to 3/3, 1/1, 4/3, 1/1 = 34 in other hyenas) (Ref: The Teeth of Mammalian Vertebrates by B. Berkovitz and P. Shellis).

There are few more examples as well... but I digress.

One suggestion I'd make is to use a term that can be easily used to refer to all species other than the aardwolf. E.g., Hyaeninae species (whereas aardwolf is in Protelinae), large hyenas, durophagous hyenas, etc. 59.88.161.237 (talk) 14:38, 24 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

This lack of differentiation between the aardwolf and other hyena species in the article partially contributes to the general public's inability to identify different hyena species. (I've seen way too many images and videos of striped and even brown hyenas being mislabeled as "Aardwolf".) This is especially a problem when you consider that they fulfill different ecological niches and have differing habits. 117.202.207.234 (talk) 15:46, 25 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Genetic adaptations on hyenas

Expansion or duplication of the olfatory receptor gene family (OR) has been found in all 4 species.

This gene expansion could have led to the evolution of the more specialised feeding habits of hyenas.

Expansion in immune-related gene families was also found in the 3 bone-cracking species* (Which would have led to the evolution of scavenging and osteophagy in these species).

As well as mutations and variants retained were found in digestion-related genes (ASH1L, PTPN5, PKP3 & AQP10). One of these digestion-related genes has variants related to enhanced bone mineralisation (PTPN5), while another also has a role related to inflammatory skin responses (PKP3).

*Spotted hyena, striped hyena and brown hyena.

In Aardwolf, expansion of genes related to toxin response was found (Lipocalin and UDP Glucuronosyltranferase gene families).

Mutations and variants in genes related to craniofacial shape were also found (GARS, GMPR, STIP1, SMO & PAPSS2).

Another gene is related to protective function of epidermis (DSC1).

https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab055

LeandroPucha (talk) 06:15, 28 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]