Afrotheria

Question 1

the afrotherian split

Answer 1

afroinsectiphillia
paenungulata

Question 2

Afroinsectiphillia

Answer 2

afroinsectivora
Tubulidentata

Question 3

afroinsectivora

Answer 3

2 orders: macroscelidea, afrosoricida

Question 4

macroscelidea

Answer 4

1 family: elephant shrew

Question 5

afrosoricida

Answer 5

2 families
tenrecidae: tenrecs and otter shrew
cheysochlaridae: golden moles

Question 6

macroscelidea (elephant shrew)

Answer 6

5 genera, 20 species
feed mostly on invertebrates
live in desert, bushland, plains, forest, and rocky areas
use short bouts of torpor
disgust distribution in africa
likes open plains to tropical forest
territorial, scent marking, foot druming
some use basking for thermoregulation.

Question 7

Tenrecidae (tenrecs)

Answer 7

live in Madagascar and the surrounding islands
dispersed from otter shrews about 55MYA
endemic to Madagascar
experienced adaptive radiation
retain many ancestral traits -> cloaca
mostly insectivores or omnivores
inhabit rainforests, dry forests, and deserts
have spines = adapted guard hairs

Question 8

Tenrecidae (otter shrews)

Answer 8

western and central Africa
specialized for semi-aquatic life
broad flat rostrum, stiff whiskers, small eyes, reduced external ears, long streamlined body = with a tail laterally compressed to help with direction for swimming.
1 genes and 3 species

Question 9

chrysachloridae (golden moles)

Answer 9

shares strong convergent evolution with other mole like species
highly fossorial lifestyle
lack pinnae for ears, canal covered with hair, vestigial eyes covered with fur and skin.
greatly enlarged inner ear to see seismic signals

Question 10

Order: Tubulidentata; species: Aardvark

Answer 10

lives in sub-Saharan Africa
powerful diggers
feeds on termites and ants
has a long tongues with sticky saliva
weighs up to 140lbs
very few teeth that lack dentine and are rootless
highly developed olfaction with increased vibrissae hairs on nasal septum
large ears for thermal windows
co-evolved with aardvark cucumber and is their main seed dispersal method

Question 11

shared characteristics of paenugulata

Answer 11

Lack clavicles
short nails
2 pectoral mammae, bicornuate uterus
have abdominal testes and no baculum
non-ruminating, hindgut fermenter
herbivore, have a cecum
specialized grazers

Question 12

Order Hyracoidea; family procaviidae
(Hyrax)

Answer 12

3 genera: procavia, denrdohyrax, heterohyrax
6 species
found south of the Sahara in Africa, through Egypt, and in the Middle East.
live in a variety of grassland, shrub, and rocky areas
Mesaxonic: having an enlarged digit in the middle of the root. (have glands that secrete moisture allowing for suction to surfaces)
have a diastema
some live in colonies but can also be solitary
nocturnal and arboreal
bask bc they are not good a temp regulation
they have very efficient kidneys for water conservation.
use communal latrine behavior

Question 13

order Proboscidea; Family Elephantidea (elephants)

Answer 13

they are subungulates
3 Genera, 3 species
African Savanna
African Forest
Asian

Question 14

traits of early elephants

Answer 14

lacked trunks and tusks
were more tapir-like

Question 15

evolutionary trends of elephants

Answer 15

deepened teeth, shortened skull, lengthened trunk and legs

Question 17

difference between african and asian elephants

Answer 17

African: larger ears, less pronounced head dome, 2 prehensile fingers, larger.
Asian: smaller, 1 prehensile finger, dome head

Question 18

unique qualities of elephants

Answer 18

mourn their dead - a highly social female-dominated social structure.
communicate in ultrasound
high dexterity with perhensile fingers
high degree of learning and complex brain activity

Question 19

Order: Sirenia; Family: Dugongidae (Dugongs)

Answer 19

1 extant genus, 1 extinct genus
found off the tropical coast of eastern Africa, Southern Asia, and Australia.
150-300kg
tusk like incisors in males
pachyostosis rib bones: denser and have no marrow
specialized herbivore, live in small family groups or solitary
life span 70 years

Question 20

Order: Sirenia; Family: Trichechidae (Manatees)

Answer 20

1 genus
warm costal waters of Atlantic side of N and S America, Western Africa, and sometimes rivers
400-600kg
no incisors
6 cervical vertebrae
Herbivors
live in small family groups or solitary