Class Mammalia Flashcards
e.g. platypus, echidna
(6 species)
Ecology: aquatic, ground-dwelling, or fossorial
Characteristics: The only egg-laying mammals, monotremes differ from other mammals in several ways. They display no teeth as adults and have specialized electrosensory receptors in the beaks/bills that help them detect prey. Platypuses are aquatic, and males have a venom gland connected to a spur on their hind leg which they use when fighting rivals or predators. Echidnas are ground-dwelling or burrowing and largely feed on ants and termites.
Subclass: Prototheria
Infraorder: Ornithodelphia
Order: Monotremata
e.g. kangaroos, wallabies, koala, wombats, opossums, Tasmanian tiger, Tasmanian devil, marsupial mice, cuscuses, bandicoots, bilbies
(331 species)
Ecology: Cosmopolitan
Characteristics: Give birth to small, altricial young that develop in the marsupium (pouch). Some kangaroos can undergo embryonic diapause to delay development of an embryo until environmental conditions become favorable.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria
e.g. opossum
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria
Order: Didelphimorpha
e.g. kangaroo, koala, wombats, wallabies, possums
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria
Order: Diprotodontia
e.g. two-toed sloth, giant anteater, armadillo
(31 species)
Ecology: Arboreal or cursorial; largely in tropical or desert areas
Characteristics: much more diverse in the past, and included giant armadillo-like Glyptodonts, which got as large as a large SUV
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Xenarthra
e.g. pika, brush rabbit
(91 species)
Ecology: Saltatory, in a wide range of habitats
Characteristics: Although originally grouped in with the rodents, they are distinct in having two pairs of upper incisors, one pair being located directly posterior to the other pair
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Lagomorpha
e.g. fox squirrel, yellow-bellied marmot, flying squirrel, agile kangaroo rat, bushy-tailed woodrat, deer mouse, pocket gopher, porcupine, Norwegian rat
(2277 species)
Ecology: cursorial, arboreal, fossorial, semi-aquatic, in a wide range of habitats
Characteristics: The most speciose mammalian group, they have extremely sharp teeth and strong jaw muscles for chewing, gnawing, and chiseling a wide variety of tough foods (nuts, grains, acorns, seeds, woody plants)
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Rodentia
e.g. saddleback tamarin, cinnamon monkey, baboon, human
(376 species)
Ecology: arboreal, ground-dwelling
Characteristics: Most are omnivorous, but some specialize in eating tree sap or tree-burrowing insects
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Primates
e.g. broad-footed mole, shrew
(542 species)
Ecology: Generally ground-dwelling and burrowing, sometimes arboreal. Some semi-aquatic species (water shrews)
Characteristics: Generally small, eating a variety of invertebrate prey
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Liptophyla
e.g. pallid bat, big brown bat, flying fox
(1120 species)
Ecology: Aerial, largely nocturnal
Characteristics: Lateral skin of bodies and limbs developed into a web of skin, called the patagium, that connects their finger bones and has allowed them to evolve flapping flight like the birds. Many are able to navigate in complete darkness using echolocation. This order includes the smallest known mammal, the bumblebee bat, which weights less than a penny
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Chiroptera
e.g. racoon, black bear, red fox, bobcat, hyena, striped skunk, sea otter, sea lion, seal
(286 species)
Ecology: extremely varied: cursorial, arboreal, aquatic
Characteristics: Although secondarily lost or modified for omnivory in some species, all have a set of cutting teeth, the carnassials, formed by the upper premolar 4 and lower molar 1
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
e.g. racoon
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Procyonidae
e.g. black bear
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
e.g. red fox, coyote, domestic dog
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
e.g. bobcat, domestic cat, lion
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
e.g. spotted hyena
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Hyenidae
e.g. striped skunk
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mephitidae
e.g. sea otter
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
e.g. sea lion
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Otariidae
e.g. harbor seal, elephant seal
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Phocidae
e.g. pig, peccary, cow, goat, sheep, pronghorned antelope, mule deer
(241 species)
Ecology: Cursorial
Characteristics: They have an even number of digits on each foot. Specie may have antlers or horns. Horns are found in the Family Bovidae, while antlers are usually found in the Family Cervidae. True horns are not shed and may be present in both sees. The number of points on a set of antlers is a reflection of age, hormones, and nutrition.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
e.g. pig, wild boar
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Suidae
e.g. peccary
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Tayassuidae
e.g. cow, domestic goat, bighorn sheep
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
e.g. pronghorn antelope
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Antilocapridae
e.g. mule deer
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
e.g. humpback whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, sperm whale, orca
(82 species)
Ecology: Fully aquatic
Characteristics: Well adapted for living in the water, and have thick blubber for insulation to help with thermoregulation.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
e.g. humpback whale, blue whale (baleen whales)
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Myticeti
e.g. bottlenose dolphin, sperm whale, orca (toothed whales)
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti
e.g. domestic horse
(17 species)
Ecology: Cursorial
Characteristics: They are known as the odd-toed ungulates, and include zebras, tapirs, donkeys, and rhinoceroses. Extant species within the order may have 1 or 3 toes per foot, although this generalization does not hold true for the fossil record.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Perissodactyla
e.g. African elephant
(3 species)
Ecology: Cursorial
Characteristics: The total number of teeth is 24 (6 in each half jaw). No more than two of the six teeth are exposed at the same time in each side of the jaw (the only exception is in young elephants which may use 3). Teeth grow from the back of the jaw and follow a linear pathway of movement forwards as the preceding tooth is progressively worn down in the front. Each tooth drops out as it reaches the front of the elephant’s jaw. The tusks are modified upper incisors, not canines.
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Proboscidea
