4 ms·

but the tusks had a purpose to defend and now they are defenseless.

by officialjunk 5y ago

asdff 5y ago
Stomping is a common way for elephants to deal with predators. Tusks are used a lot as a tool though.
croes 5y ago
If the probability to get killed for the tusks is higher than get killed by predators then it's an advantage.
- ceejayoz 5y ago
  There are short-term and long-term advantages and disadvantages, though. From the article, it sounds like this may have protected them from human predation, but there may be significant long-term negative impacts on the species due to the lack of viable male offspring. Survive more easily for a couple generations, but go extinct as an all-female species after a couple more...
  - kadoban 5y ago
    What do the males die of exactly? Not clear to me.
    - ceejayoz 5y ago
      Seems like the mutation kills male embryos. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe7389 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe7389 > Survey data revealed tusk-inheritance patterns consistent with an X chromosome–linked dominant, male-lethal trait. Whole-genome scans implicated two candidate genes with known roles in mammalian tooth development (AMELX and MEP1a), including the formation of enamel, dentin, cementum, and the periodontium. One of these loci (AMELX) is associated with an X-linked dominant, male-lethal syndrome in humans that diminishes the growth of maxillary lateral incisors (homologous to elephant tusks).
      - imtringued 5y ago
        Why is it possible for us to have a 50:50 gender ratio? Why haven't mothers that only give birth to girls taken over the world? Do unpaired girls really die that quickly?
        manquer 5y ago
        Humans have near but exactly 1:1 ( 1.05-1.07 favoring males at birth ). Fisher's principle[1] explains why this 1:1 is common. There is big imbalance problem for humans as well, many cultures prefer male children over females, the two largest countries - India and China have big imbalance for different reasons there is estimated 100 million less girls than boys in these two countries alone as result of sex selection/ infanticide etc . [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher%27s_principle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher%27s_principle

but the tusks had a purpose to defend and now they are defenseless.

asdff 5y ago

Stomping is a common way for elephants to deal with predators. Tusks are used a lot as a tool though.

croes 5y ago

If the probability to get killed for the tusks is higher than get killed by predators then it's an advantage.

ceejayoz 5y ago
There are short-term and long-term advantages and disadvantages, though. From the article, it sounds like this may have protected them from human predation, but there may be significant long-term negative impacts on the species due to the lack of viable male offspring. Survive more easily for a couple generations, but go extinct as an all-female species after a couple more...
- kadoban 5y ago
  What do the males die of exactly? Not clear to me.
  - ceejayoz 5y ago
    Seems like the mutation kills male embryos. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe7389 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe7389 > Survey data revealed tusk-inheritance patterns consistent with an X chromosome–linked dominant, male-lethal trait. Whole-genome scans implicated two candidate genes with known roles in mammalian tooth development (AMELX and MEP1a), including the formation of enamel, dentin, cementum, and the periodontium. One of these loci (AMELX) is associated with an X-linked dominant, male-lethal syndrome in humans that diminishes the growth of maxillary lateral incisors (homologous to elephant tusks).
    - imtringued 5y ago
      Why is it possible for us to have a 50:50 gender ratio? Why haven't mothers that only give birth to girls taken over the world? Do unpaired girls really die that quickly?
      - manquer 5y ago
        Humans have near but exactly 1:1 ( 1.05-1.07 favoring males at birth ). Fisher's principle[1] explains why this 1:1 is common. There is big imbalance problem for humans as well, many cultures prefer male children over females, the two largest countries - India and China have big imbalance for different reasons there is estimated 100 million less girls than boys in these two countries alone as result of sex selection/ infanticide etc . [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher%27s_principle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher%27s_principle