Huge hamsters and pint-sized porcupines thrive on islands
Monday, March 26, 2012 - 19:30
in Biology & Nature
From miniature elephants to monster mice, and even Hobbit-sized humans, size changes in island animals are well-known to science. Biologists have long believed that large animals evolving on islands tend to get smaller, while small animals tend to get bigger, a generalization they call "the island rule." A new study puts that old idea to the test in island and mainland rodents.