Final Exam- Carnivora Flashcards
How many species are in Carnivora?
300 species, 16 families, 2 suborders
What is special about Order Carnivora hunting behaviors?
Most are predaceous and have a good sense of smell, and meat is easier to digest but difficult to acquire.
Where does Order Carnivora occur naturally?
Every continent except Austrlia
What are the two major Clades of Order Carnivora?
Feliforma and Caniforma
Four Morphological Features of Order Carnivora?
All teeth are rooted, Expanded Braincase, Loss of the third premolar, and foot posture is usually digitigrades and plantigrade
What is included in the suborder Feliformia
Includes Felids, hyaenids, viverrids, herpestids, and Malagasy Eupleridae
What are the characteristics of suborder Feliformia?
“Cat-like”
· Six modern families
· Related by numerous muscular characteristics
· Auditory bulla includes both ectotympanic and endo tympanic and has two chambers (except Nandinidae – African Palm Civets)
How many species are in family Felidae
14 genera and 40 species
Where is Family Felidae found?
Worldwide except Antarctica, Australia, Madagascar, and some oceanic islands
Morphological traits of Family Felidae
· Number of teeth reduced (anterior-most upper premolar is strongly reduced or lost, carnassials well developed)
· Digitigrade foot posture
· Claws recurved and retraction (except in cheetah)
· Spotted or striped pelage common
· Weights range from 1 to 275 kg
Paleontology of Family Felidae
· Cat-like mammals appear in North America in Eocene
· Some species had saber-like upper canines
· Modern cats began radiation in Miocene
· Panthera lineage arose in Eurasia 11 million years ago
· Eight Felid lineages evolved
· Spread across land bridges as sea levels changed
· Roughly 6 million years ago lineage of small cats evolved (ancestors of domestic cats)
Hunting and social of family Felidae
· Hunt through the stealthy stalk and a quick burst of speed (cheetahs sprint up to 60 mph over short distances)
· excellent senses of smell, sight, and hearing
· Many sp nocturnal (tapetum lucidium)
· Most sp are agile climbers
· Most sp solitary (lions are social)
How many species are in family Viveridae?
15 genera and 35 species
What are examples of family Viveridae
Civets and Genets
Where is family Viveridae found
Old world tropical and southern temperate regions
Morphological characteristics of Family Viveridae
· Small to medium size (600 grams to 20 kilograms) with short legs
· Long rostrum
· Tail long and bushy
· Well-developed perineal (near the anus) scent glands
Ecology of Family Veveridae
· Some are agile climbers, some semi-aquatic, others terrestrial
· Mostly carnivorous and nocturnal
Family Herpesitidae – Mongooses
· Venom bounces off receptor cells in mongooses, making them “immune”
· Dances around prey until delivering final blow (breaking neck), leading to paralysis of prey
Family Eupleridae – Malagasy Carnivores (Fossa)
· 8 species
· Largest = Fossa, agile climber with retractable claws (feeds on small lemurs)
· Most are nocturnal and terrestrial
· The rare Malagasy falanouc has reduced dentition (primarily feeds on invertebrates)
Family Hyaenidae – Hyenas Species number
3 genera and four species
Where is Family Hyaenidae found
Africa, turkey, Middle East, and parts of India
Morphological characteristics of Family Hyaenidae
· Weigh up to 80 kg
· Skull robustly built, carnassials well developed
· Feet with 4 toes and blunt, nonretractable claws
· Large sagittal crest for muscle attachment
· Massive cheek teeth with very thick enamel
· Massive zygomatic arch for muscle attachment
Ecology of Family Hyaenidae
· Female dominated (mounting, pseudo penis, larger than males)
· Can crush and eat bones
· Occupy same niche as African lions
· Both scavengers and predators
· Spotted hyenas form large packs or clans
· Striped hyenas more omnivorous
Aardwolf!
· Aardwolf has reduced dentition (feeds on termites)
· No large crests on skull for jaw musculature
· Zygomatic arch somewhat reduced
· Dentition reduced to accompany insectivorous diet
What is included in Suborder Caniforma?
Four clades; canidae, ursidae, pinnipedia, musteloidea
Family Canidae Species number
13 genera and 35 species
Where is the family Canidae Found?
Nearly worldwide distribution
What are family Canidae facts?
· Fossils date to the Eocene of North America
· Broadly adapted carnivores
Morphological characteristics of Family Canidae
· Large nasal chamber (excellent sense of smell)
· Limbs generally long
· Clavicle absent
· Feet Digitigrade
· Blunt, nonretractable claws
· Robust canines, carnassials present
· Molars retain crushing surfaces (more flexible diet)
Ecology of Family Canidae?
· Omnivores (small or moderate size and usually non social)
· Carnivores (range in size from 2 to 80 kg, typically Cursorial, may or may not be social)
· Insectivores (small and social)
Family Ursidae includes
Bears
Family Ursidae Secies Number?
5 genera and 8 species
Where is Family Ursidae Found
North America and Eurasia
When does Ursidae fossils date to
Fossils date to early Miocene
Examples of Family Ursidae
Sun Bears, Black bears, spectacled bears, panda bears, polar bears, Grizzly.
Morphological of Family Ursidae
· Large body size
· Limbs powerful, feet plantigrade
· Claws non retractible
· Tails very short
· Long rostrum
· Post-carnassial teeth robust and adapted to crushing
Ecology of family ursidae
More omnivorous diets
· Exceptions to omnivorous feeding habits
· Polar bear diet restricted to seals
· Giant panda diet mostly bamboo
· Northern species may “hibernate” (HR and metabolism slows, live off accumulated fat reserves, arouse easily)
Family Ailuridae – Red Pandas
Single species
Morphological characteristics of Family Ailuridae
· Enlarged radial sesmoid evolved for arboreal grasping
· 3 to 6 kilogram
Ecology of Family Ailuridae
· Restricted to Northern Myanmar and parts of China
· Arboreal and largely crepuscular
· Eat bamboo leaves, berries, flowers, and other plant material
· Mostly solitary
· Endangered throughout their range
Family Mephitida
Skunks and stink badgers
Number of species in Family Mephitidae
4 genera and 12 species
Where is Family Mephitidae found
Stink badgers (2 species) inhabit Indonesia, Malaysia, and Palawan Island (Philippines)
Morphological and Ecology of Family Mephitidae
· Skunks are moderately small
· 0.5 to 4 kilos
· Conspicuously colored (black and white spots or stripes)
· Adapted for digging (muscular legs, long claws)
· Nocturnal, solitary, omnivorous
· Anal glands spray noxious odo
Family Procyonidae
Racoons, Coatis, Ringtail
Family Proctonidae facts
· 6 genera and 14 species
· New world – southern Canada through much of South America
· Omnivorous and agile climbers
· Plantigrade feet, non retractible or semi-retractible claws
· Dexterous forefeet in some species
· Tail long – prehensile in kinkajou
Family Mustelidae
weasels, otters, and badgers, wolverine
Number of species in Family Mustelidae
25 genera and 65 species
Family Mustilidae Found
Nearly cosmopolitan except Madagascar, Australia, and ocean islands
Morphological traits of Family Mustelidae
· Typically fairly small long-bodied carnivores with short limbs and a pushed-in face
· Long brain case and short rostrum
· Carnassials blade-like in many species
· Anal scent glands well developed
· Tail long
· Smallest species weigh 32-250 grams
· Largest species 32-45 kg
Ecology of Family Mustelidae
· Aggressive hunters
· Otters are semiaquatic or almost completely aquatic
Reproduction of Family Mustelidae
· Induced ovulation common (typically requires prolonged copulation)
· Delayed implantation of embryo common (may be delayed up to 10 months (badgers), implantation of the blastocyst tales place in response to environmental cues
Morphological features of Carnivora
· Expanded braincase
· Flange on the lateral margin of the Basioccipital
· Fronto-parietal suture far back on skull
· All teeth are rooted
· Loss of third molar
· Carnassials are P4 and M1
Skeletal Adaptations for Cursorial Locomotion
· Cursorial (running) may be limited or strongly developed
· Fused scaphoid and lunar bones, centrale lost (wrist)
· Foot posture is usually digitigrade or plantigrade
· Primary adaptations for running include bone loss and/or fusion of carpals and tarsals
