Mammals Flashcards
5 key characteristics of Mammals
- Mammary glands
- Presence of hair
- Enlarged skull
- Dentition
- Ability to digest plants
What is the first milk in gestation and why is it important
Colostrum - immunological - provides young with antibodies and immunoglobulins
What is another word for whiskers
Vibrissae
What are deciduous teeth
The first set of teeth
Heterodonts vs homodonts
Uniform vs not uniform teeth
What fat battles hypothermia after birth
Brown adipose tissue
Altricial vs Precocial
A - Incapable of anything after hatching
P - Independent almost immediately after hatching
What is the cloaca
Common opening for urinary and digestive tract
What is a caecum
Part of the large intestine that aids in the break down of grass based products
Mammals are divided into Prototheria and Theria - what do these include
P - Monotremes - egg-laying mammals - echidna and platypus
T - Metatheria - marsupials - kangaroos and possums
T - Eutheria - All other mammals
What do monotremes not possess that other mammals do
Placenta
Give 3 functions of the placenta
Gas exchange
Nutrition
Removal of nitrogenous waste
What is unique about the dentition of rodentia
Continually growing so need to be worn down
What does the order Sirenians include
Manatees and dugongs
What do the orders anthropoids, hominoids and hominids include
Anthropoids - monkeys and baboons
Hominoids - Apes
Hominids - Humans
