Mammals 2 Flashcards
Order marsupialia
Marsupials
Order soricomorpha (formerly insectivora)
Shrews and moles
Order Chiroptera
Bats
Order Lagomorpha
Hares, rabbits, pikas
Order rodentia
Rodents
Order Carnivora
Carnivores
Order pinnipedia and what else can this be labelled as?
Seals and sea lions
Sometimes listed as a suborder or superfamily under order Carnivora
Order Cetacea
Whales, dolphins, porpoises
Order Artiodactyla
Even-toed ungulates
Order perissodactyla
Odd-tied ungulates
What are 2 families of carnivores that are dietary omnivores?
Family ursidae and family procyonidae (raccoons)
2 general facts about carnivores?
Tend to be medium sized animals with acute senses
Take individual prey alone or as a social group (ie packs)
The 5 families in order Carnivora scientific and common names
Canidae - wolves , foxes, coyotes Felidae - cougars, lynxes, bobcats Ursidae - bears Procyonidae - raccoons Mustelidae - fur bearers ie. minks, martens, otters, weasels, fishers
All mammals are technically “fur bearers” but what family of carnivores does this apply to for their specific use?
Family Mustelidae
The minks, weasels, otters etc.
What is a reason for coyotes taking over the ecological niche in Yellowstone when the wolves were exterpated? What happened when they were re-introduced?
Nature abhorres an empty niche
Wolves took niche back and coyote populations decreased.
All red foxes are red. True or False?
No. Many color variations are possible
Bears, wolves, raccoons and many others also have this possibility
Not all grey wolves are grey
Not all black bears are black
What is the dental formula for the canidae family?
3.1.4.2/3.1.4.2-3
Name 3 BC species in the family felidae
Cougar, bobcat, lynx
How many subspecies of cougar (Felis concolor) are there in BC?
3: F c orgonensis, coastal, darker
F c missoulensis, interior, paler
F c vancouverensis, smaller, redder
What is the main diet of the cougar?
Small mammals to young moose. Mostly deer.
What method do cougars use to Jill small prey?
Breaking the neck
What method do cougars use to kill large prey?
Suffocation by collapsing the trachea.
What are 3 features of the lynx?
Large tufts on ears
Completely black tail tip
Large feet with long hind legs
What is the main diet of the lynx?
Snowshoe hare
What are 5 features of the lynx?
Smallest BC wildcat Black tail tip only on top Small tufts on ears Primarily nocturnal Need ~100km sq. of home range
Why is the home range of a mammal significant?
Important for ecosystem preservation
Does color variation exist in Black bears?
Yes. They can be black, brown, reddish, white…. Etc.
What is the cause for white black bears?
Likely a recessive gene because offspring can exhibit it while parents do not.
What are 6 ways to tell grizzlies and black bears apart?
Grizzlies have shoulder hump
Grizzlies have dish-shaped facial profile, black bear is straight
Grizzlies have small rounded ears, b bears have large pointed ears
Grizzly claws are light color and gently curved, b bears are sharply curved and dark colored
Grizzly toe pads are further removed from main foot pad and a straight line can be drawn between them, b bear toe pads closer to main pad and a straight line cannot be drawn
Grizzly claw print is further from toe-pad
What is family procyonidae and what order is it in?
Raccoon family in order Carnivora
What are 7 characteristics of the procyonidae family?
Racoons have a black mask and bushy tail with black bands
Normally stay within 2 blocks of territory
Adapt well to urbanization (rare for animals)
Have colour variations (albino)
Sometimes wash food before eating
Live in hollow logs or trees or burrows of other animals
Excellent climbers
What is the racoon feeding mode?
Omnivorous- true omnivores that eat almost anything
What kinds of things do omnivores eat?
fish, crayfish, crabs, snails, snakes, birds and eggs, frogs, fruits, nuts arthropods, small mammals
What are racoons known as in Germany?
Wash Bears because they wash their food
- Obscure behavior that was once selected for but is not selected against now
- Tactile sense improvement b/c racoons are tactile creatures?
What is Order Carnivora Family Mustelidae?
The fur bearers such as otters, minks, martens, fishers, wolverines
Why are Sea otters such an important part of the marine ecosystem?
They are a keystone predator and their removal from a system causes sea urchins to increase and the deterioration of the kelp forest nurseries that urchins feed upon.
What are 5 facts/characteristics of Sea otters?
- Live in kelp forests on coast
- Use tools
- Eat sea urchins
- Swim on backs
- Re-introduced locally from Alaskan populations because they were extirpated from the 1700’s fur trade
What are 2 characteristics of River otters?
Run on land
Swim “right-way up”
What is a taxonomic difference between Sea and river otters?
They are not even in the same genus so they are not as closely related as one would expect
Which are more closely related? Fishers, martens, minks, wolverines
Martens and Fishers