Evolution question.

[Globalti]

Something I've been pondering for a while is: why did we and other animals evolve bladders? What was the evolutionary benefit of storing up urine?

For marking territory?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Slow day, RR?

 

[Arch]

I'd have thought that urine constantly dribbling out would cause skin irritation (ammonia), or matting of fur. Most animals have to posture deliberately to urinate without dribbling it all over their skin...

That said, mice and such do apparently dribble urine all the time, and they do have bladders. And as some birds of prey can see the urine, by virtue of being able to see.. UV, I think it is, it can lead a predator right to them.

 

[Fnaar]

Possibly also advanteges/disadvantages of leaving/not leaving a trail... mice (and certain people) leave a trail of urine wherever they go... If you want to remain incognito, don't advertise your whereaboots by peeing everywhere. That's stood me in good stead ever since a teacher pointed it out to me in primary school.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i doubt you'd ever get laid if you smelt of piss rr

 

[Smokin Joe]

i doubt you'd ever get laid if you smelt of piss rr

It's a positve advantage in certain parts of Fishguard.

 

[Maizie]

That said, mice and such do apparently dribble urine all the time, and they do have bladders.

Dunno about mice, but it is often claimed that rats constantly dribble. They do not. They do scent mark (boy rats particularly), but not constantly. They can save it up in their bladders until a convenient moment.

 

[Globalti]

My curiosity started when I was about 10 and my neighbour's tortoise pissed on me.

 

[Fnaar]

Dogs also manage to wee wherever, just to leave a scent... and students too

 

[Fnaar]

Interesting. What was it called?

tortoise's piss, of course!

 

[yello]

There is some evolutionary advantage to not having to take a piss when a lion's about to attack. Pee or flight I guess.

Nah, strike that. I'd piss myself (and more) if I were about to be attacked by a lion, bladder or no. Maybe bladder evolution just isn't subject to natural selection.

 

[Dayvo]

My curiosity started when I was about 10 and my neighbour's tortoise pissed on me.

Staying in a beach bungalow in Cambodia in November, a bat pissed on us, well, the misses, in bed one morning.

I had seen it hanging from the ceiling but didn't say anything as I knew she'd go into one! She hadn't noticed the shoot on top of the mosquito net, either, which I brushed off when necessary.

A few days later, whilst I was having an early morning swim, there was an almighty scream, followed by a quick-exiting hysterical woman; the bat had opened up its wings and flown off and she nearly crapped herself!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

we developed bladders so that we could evolve them into footballs.

 

[Maizie]

I'd piss myself (and more) if I were about to be attacked by a lion, bladder or no.

That's actually induced by the adrenalin responsible for 'fight or flight' - the idea is you can run faster if you drop the excess weight in your bladder and/or bowels.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

.. If I were a lion i'd back off if you dropped your bowels