Search results
A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (/ m ə ˈ m eɪ l i. ə /). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones.
- Mammal classification
Mammalia is a class of animal within the phylum Chordata....
- Portal:Mammals
A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast') is a vertebrate animal...
- List of Largest Mammals
The following is a list of largest mammals by family....
- Mammal classification
- Main Characteristics
- Primarily Nocturnal
- Main Groups
- Modes of Life
- Taxonomy
- Debate on The Meaning of "Mammalia"
Reproductive cycle
Most marsupial and eutherian mammals have a reproductive cycle known as the oestrous cycle (U.S: estrous cycle). Females are sexually active in the oestrous stage, when they are 'on heat' for a few days each month. If an ovum is not fertilized, the endometrium (uteruslining) is resorbed. Oestrus cycles may occur once or twice a year, or many times a year. Each type of mammals has its own frequency. Humans and primates, are quite different. They have a menstrual cycle. In this case, females ar...
Skeleton
One diagnostic feature of mammals is the lower jaw. Unlike earlier forms, it is a single bone, the dentary. This is one feature which can be seen in fossils, or at least those which are complete enough to have the lower jaw. Another diagnostic feature is the ear ossicles. Mammals have three little bones in their inner ear. These ear ossicles are bones which were, long ago, part of the lower jaw in early proto-mammals. There are quite a number of other features in the skull and limbs, so that...
Neocortex and behaviour
Another diagnostic feature is the neocortex of the brain, which no other vertebrate has. This is involved in the kind of flexible behaviour and learning typical of mammals. Reptiles and birds have much of their behaviour controlled by "inherited behaviour chains", which roughly translates as "instincts". Almost all animals can do some learning, but mammals do far more than other vertebrates. Their behaviour is much more flexible than lizards, for example, and that is made possible by their ne...
Once, most mammals were nocturnal. Today, many (more than two-thirds) are still nocturnal. It makes a lot of sense when you realise that the daytime was ruled by dinosaurs for so long, Primates (except humans) sleep at night in trees. They are active during the daytime, and some come out onto more open ground. Baboons(and humans!) are rather specia...
All mammals feed milk to their young, and protect and look after them. The vast majority of mammal species give birth to live young, these are the placental mammals, most of which are classified as Eutheria and a small number are classified as marsupials. Marsupials are mammals with pouches to carry young in, like the kangaroo. There are only five ...
By number of species, mammals (with 5488 species), are not the most successful vertebrates. Birds, with about 10,000 species have nearly twice as many, and reptiles have just as many as birds. Fish have even more species. There are 27,000 species of fish, of which nearly 26,000 are bony fish.However, the word "fish" covers more than one class of an...
The evolutionary relationships among land vertebrates is as follows: 1. Tetrapoda (land vertebrates) 1.1. Amphibia(lay eggs in water) 1.2. Amniota (lay cleidoic eggs) 1.2.1. Sauropsida (all true 'reptiles') 1.2.2. Synapsida (all 'mammal-like amniotes') 1.2.2.1. Pelycosauria 1.2.2.2. Therapsida (in particular, the Cynodontia) 1.2.2.2.1. Mammalia(bea...
Because two quite different dates are given in the taxobox, an explanation is needed. Rowe defines mammals as "the taxon originating with the most recent common ancestor of extant (living) Monotremata and Theria". That puts the emphasis heavily on living mammals, where, as Rowe points out, the database of characters is extensive. Kemp explains the ...
Mammalia is a class of animal within the phylum Chordata. Mammal classification has been through several iterations since Carl Linnaeus initially defined the class. No classification system is universally accepted; McKenna & Bell (1997) and Wilson & Reader (2005) provide useful recent compendiums. [1]
People also ask
What distinguishes a mammalian from other mammals?
What type of animal is a mammal?
Where did mammals come from?
What is the classification of Mammalia?
A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (/ m ə ˈ m eɪ l i. ə /). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones.
Jun 9, 2024 · Learn about mammals, the group of vertebrates that nourish their young with milk and have hair, a hinged lower jaw, and a muscular diaphragm. Explore the diversity, evolution, and distribution of more than 5,500 living species of mammals in 27–29 orders.
- An animal is considered a mammal if it can produce milk. Other features unique to mammals include hair or fur (chemically different from hairlike s...
- It is estimated that there are more than 5,500 living mammal species. Mammals are incredibly diverse and can be found in every major habitat.
- The biggest living mammal—indeed, the largest animal ever—is the blue whale. It can be as heavy as 180 metric tons (200 short tons) and reach a len...
- According to fossil records, mammals have existed since the Triassic Period, alongside early dinosaurs such as Riojasaurus and Saltopus. True mamma...
- Mammals evolved from a group of reptiles called therapsids, which lived from 299 million to 200 million years ago. Therapsids were quadrupedal and...
- The platypus has many features not found in other mammals. It is part of a group of mammals known as monotremes, which lay eggs and have specialize...
A mammal is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia. Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones.
The following is a list of largest mammals by family. Tenrecs and allies (Afrosoricida) The largest of these insectivorous mammals is the giant otter shrew ( Potamogale velox ), native to Central Africa. This species can weigh up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) and measure 0.64 metres (2.1 ft) in total length. [1] [2]