Lab 11 - Mammals Flashcards
What level on the hierarchy is ‘mammals’?
class
What infraclasses and orders are under the class mammals?
infraclass prototheria - order monotremata
infraclass metatheria - order diprotodontia
infraclass eutheria - order rodentia, order chiroptera, order primates, order carnivora, order artiodactyla
What are characteristics of mammals?
hair, endothermy (internal heat), specialized teeth, milk production
What is unique to a mammals respiratory system?
diaphragm - controls the lungs, bidirectional air flow, alveoli - small air sac which increase the surface area
What is the nervous system of a mammal like?
2 parts of the nervous system - central and peripheral, cephalization, large brain and complex system, pinnae, vibrissae, external nares
What are pinnae?
external ears used for hearing - unique to mammals
What are vibrissae?
whiskers - used for touch
What kind of skull do mammals have?
synapsid skull - one pair of temporal openings
How is the mammal skeleton divdied?
axial and appendicular
What is the soft palate?
allows the organism to breath while chewing, can move to make complex sounds, can block the oral/nasal cavity
What kind of circulation do mammals have?
closed
How many chambers of the heart do mammals have?
4 chambered heart
What does the septum of the heart do?
full separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood
What is the endocrine system?
glands that produce various substances
Endocrine system - mammary glands
produce milk
Endocrine system - sweat glands
aid in thermoregulation
Endocrine system - scent glands
aid in communication and reproduction
What kind of digestion system do mammals have?
complete
What are some unique digestive structures?
cecum, rumen
What is the cecum?
a unique digestive structure that contains bacteria to digest plant material
What is the rumen?
a unique digestive structure found in ruminants that breaks down plant material
How do mammals excrete and what do they excrete?
kidneys, waste - urea
What minimizes water loss in mammal excretion?
countercurrent exchange between urine and blood
Ho do mammals reproduce?
sexual, dioecious, internal fertilization
What kind of egg do mammals have?
amniotic eggs
Development of offspring differing among infraclasses
monotremes (protheria) - lay eggs
marsupials (metatheria) - short generation period, young born at early stage
placental mammals (eutherians) - longer generation and presence of a placenta
What is a placenta?
direct connection of the circulatory system of the mother and the developing embryo
