How to translate text using browser tools
4 December 2020 Milk Evolution with Emphasis on the Atlantogenata
Gernot Osthoff, Moses Madende, Arnold Hugo, Hendrik JB Butler
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The milk composition of each species is unique, because it has evolved according to specific needs and adaptation to the environment. As milk data from more species became available, an evolutionary trend shows a phylogenetic distinction between Eutherian taxa regarding milk composition. For example, differences in the composition and properties of nutrients have been reported between carnivores and herbivores, as well as between ruminants and non-ruminants. Although limited, data of the three subclades of the Eutheria (Xenarthra, Afrotheria and Boreoeutheria) suggest that a phylogenetic distinction in milk composition may also exist between them. In this review, the validity of such a distinction is investigated with emphasis on the Atlantogenata.

Copyright © Zoological Society of Southern Africa
Gernot Osthoff, Moses Madende, Arnold Hugo, and Hendrik JB Butler "Milk Evolution with Emphasis on the Atlantogenata," African Zoology 55(4), 257-266, (4 December 2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2020.1798281
Received: 9 April 2019; Accepted: 10 July 2020; Published: 4 December 2020
KEYWORDS
casein
fatty acid
lactose
oligosaccharide
α-lactalbumin
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top