Submitted 11 hours ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to science_memes@mander.xyz
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/a745b78e-6362-4c65-8d74-eaa70cb505aa.jpeg
discoverwildlife.com/…/lemurs-licking-millipedes-…
They are chewing the millipedes, and then rubbing the saliva and millipede into their fur to act as an insecticide against malaria carrying mosquitoes.
However, this produces an unexpected side effect – the chemicals appear to send them into a “trancelike state” and a “condition of complete intoxication”.
To be fair, the anti-malarial drug Meflaquine/Larium does the same thing to people a bit after you take it.
I’m curious about the assertion that this is ‘to protect themselves from malaria carrying mosquitoes’. How do the scientists know this is the motivation, rather than a helpful side-effect?
ikr I was starting to feel pretty stupid for not coming up with my own vaccines
Not too mention the implication that lemurs know what malaria is. What else have these scientists been hiding from us???
They don’t have to know it, they just have to lick it
Millipedes out here sending lemurs to Zobooland
What nickname do you think lemurs would give the drug if they could? Maybe “snerch”
“Julian’s Jive”
würm
Mlom
Doped Up Lemurs is kinda a great band name.
They just called millipedes insects like that?
animals like being a little fucked up sometimes, as a treat, we all do it
Not joking I’m curious
When will it be synthesized and on headship shelves!?
What? Who needs synthesis. Hakuna Matata
ivanafterall@lemmy.world 13 minutes ago
Hell yeah, I hope those lemurs have a great time!