Rodent v lagomorph

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:04:35 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Keir"]What is this about external thyroid glands? Do you mean the toggles on goats? They could possibly regarded as another difference as I've never seen them on sheep.[/quote] I have believed for a large part of my life that the toggles on goats necks were external thyroid glands and that goats were therefore useful models for experimentation into thyroid disease. I realise that I was duped and someone was obviously telling porkies, maybe it was an April fool I fell for. Just thought I'd try it on someone else.

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Sarah Keir — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:42:27 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

I Googled it (sad)!

1.A goat is more slender of the two, while a sheep is tubbier.

2..Sheep belong to the Ovas Aries species and have 54 chromosomes while goats belong to Capra Hircus species and have 6o chromosomes.

3.A goat’s tail is for most part stands up while a sheep’s hangs down.
4.A goat is a typical browser, feeding on leaves, shrubs, twigs and vines. A sheep on the other hand loves to graze on grass and clover.
5.Goats are curious by nature and are quite independent. A sheep on the other hand prefers to stay put in its flock.
6.While a goat has hair a sheep has fleece.
7.A goat has a beard while a sheep has a mane.
8.Wild goats are found in abundance and by all accounts sheep are entirely domesticated.

It didn't mention that goats have external thyroid glands.

Do I win?

[/quote]

Apart from the chromosome number, these aren't actually all truely differences, most depend of the circumstances in which you find the animal and the effect that has on it. I have seen many sheep and goats around the world and most of them you can't tell things like fleece or hair, grazing/browsing depends on available vegetation, goats are usually in groups too, usually mixed with sheep, not all goats have beards (esp hot countries). The only thing that may be true is the tail - not all goats hold thair tail up but they seem to be able to but sheep have a longer tail that hangs downa dn can be swishes side to side but but held up vertically. Do sheep and goats have different numbers of caudal vertebrae?

What is this about external thyroid glands? Do you mean the toggles on goats? They could possibly regarded as another difference as I've never seen them on sheep.

Sarah

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Laurence Webb — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:55:34 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]It didn't mention that goats have external thyroid glands[/quote]Where do they keep them? In a cupboard?

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Niall Taylor — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:43:22 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]... a sheep has a mane[/quote]

That is lions as any fule kno!

Nigel

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:17:56 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Keir"]

What about the difference/s between sheep and goats? I've been puzzling over this for years (never actually googled it) and then the answer came from a surprising source! In hot countries sheep look so goaty and in cold climates goats look so sheepy! Any guesses (on the difference/s)?

[/quote] I Googled it (sad)!

1.A goat is more slender of the two, while a sheep is tubbier.

2..Sheep belong to the Ovas Aries species and have 54 chromosomes while goats belong to Capra Hircus species and have 6o chromosomes.

It didn't mention that goats have external thyroid glands.

Do I win?

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Sarah Keir — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:07:42 GMT

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Clive Ansell — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:59:34 GMT

I think Lagomorphs are obligate herbivores and as such have a far more developed hindgut, whereas Rodents are omnivorous. Also, Lagomorphs have 4 open rooted and continuously growing upper incisors whereas rodents have 2.

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:38:46 GMT

The answer seems to be contained in the link above but I thought it was something to do with their guts being evolved to be more suitable to a herbivorous diet, i.e. having a larger caecum like a horse not just that they are herbivorous rather than omnivorous - small distinction admittedly.

Re: Rodent v lagomorph

Ian Mostyn — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:27:35 GMT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagomorpha