Mammals. Class mammals Mammals what do they eat

Many mammals are partially aquatic, living near lakes, streams, or ocean shorelines (such as seals, sea lions, walruses, otters, muskrats, and many others). Whales and dolphins () are completely aquatic and can be found in all and some rivers. Whales can be found in polar, temperate and tropical waters, both close to shore and in the open ocean, and from the surface of the water to depths of more than 1 kilometer.

The habitat of mammals is also characterized by different climatic conditions. For example, a polar bear lives calmly in sub-zero temperatures, while lions and giraffes need a warm climate.

Groups of mammals

Baby kangaroo in mother's pouch

There are three main groups of mammals, each characterized by one of the main features of embryonic development.

• Monotremes or oviparous (Monotremata) lay eggs, which is the most primitive reproductive feature in mammals.
• Marsupials (Metatheria) are characterized by the birth of underdeveloped young after a very short gestation period (from 8 to 43 days). The offspring is born at a relatively early stage of morphological development. The cubs are attached to the mother's nipple and sit in the pouch, where their subsequent development occurs.
• Placental (Placentalia) are characterized by a long gestation (pregnancy), during which the embryo interacts with its mother through a complex embryonic organ - the placenta. After birth, all mammals depend on their mothers' milk.

Lifespan

Just as mammals vary greatly in size, so do their lifespans. As a rule, small mammals live shorter lives than larger ones. Chiroptera ( Chiroptera) are an exception to this rule - these relatively small animals can live for one or several decades in natural conditions, which is significantly longer than the lifespan of some larger mammals. Life expectancy ranges from 1 year or less to 70 years or more in the wild. Bowhead whales can live more than 200 years.

Behavior

Mammalian behavior varies significantly among species. Because mammals are warm-blooded animals, they require more energy than cold-blooded animals of the same size. The activity levels of mammals reflect their high energy requirements. For example, thermoregulation plays an important role in mammalian behavior. Those animals that live in colder climates need to keep their bodies warm, while mammals that live in hot, dry climates need to cool down to keep their bodies hydrated. Behavior is an important way for mammals to maintain physiological balance.

There are species of mammals that exhibit almost every type of lifestyle, including plant, aquatic, terrestrial, and arboreal. Their methods of movement in their habitat are varied: mammals can swim, run, fly, glide, etc.

Social behavior also varies significantly. Some species can live in groups of 10, 100, 1000 or more individuals. Other mammals are generally solitary except when mating or raising offspring.

Activity patterns among mammals also span the full spectrum of possibilities. Mammals can be nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular.

Nutrition

Most mammals have teeth, although some animals, such as baleen whales, have lost them during evolution. Because mammals are widely distributed in a variety of habitats, they have a wide range of feeding habits and preferences.

Marine mammals feed on a variety of prey, including small fish, crustaceans and sometimes other marine mammals.

Among terrestrial mammals there are herbivores, omnivores and carnivores. Each individual takes its place in.

Being warm-blooded, mammals require much more food than cold-blooded animals of the same size. Thus, relatively small numbers of mammals can have a large influence on populations of their food preferences.

Reproduction

Mammals typically reproduce sexually and have internal fertilization. Almost all mammals are placental (with the exception of oviparous and marsupials), meaning they give birth to live and developed young.

Typically, most mammal species are either polygynous (one male mates with multiple females) or promiscuous (both males and females have multiple relationships in a given breeding season). Because females carry and nurse their young, it is often the case that male mammals can produce many more offspring during mating than females. As a consequence, the most common mating system in mammals is polygyny, with relatively few males impregnating many females. At the same time, a large number of males do not participate in reproduction at all. This scenario sets the stage for intense male-male competition among many species, and also allows females to choose the stronger mating partner.

Many mammal species are characterized by sexual dimorphism, whereby males are better able to compete for access to females. Only about 3% of mammals are monogamous and mate with only the same female each season. In these cases, males can even participate in raising offspring.

As a rule, the reproduction of mammals depends on their habitat. For example, when resources are scarce, males spend their energy breeding with a single female and providing food and protection to the young. If, however, resources are abundant and the female can ensure the well-being of her offspring, the male goes to other females. In some mammals, polyandry is also common, when a female has relationships with several males.

In most mammals, the embryo develops in the female's uterus until it is fully formed. The born baby is fed with mother's milk. In marsupials, the embryo is born underdeveloped, and its further development occurs in the mother's pouch, as well as feeding with mother's milk. When the baby reaches full development, it leaves the mother's pouch, but can still spend the night in it.

Five species of mammals that belong to the order Monotremes actually lay eggs. Like birds, representatives of this group have a cloaca, which is a single opening used for emptying and reproduction. The eggs develop inside the female and receive the necessary nutrients for several weeks before laying. Like other mammals, monotremes have mammary glands and females feed their offspring with milk.

The offspring need to grow, develop and maintain optimal body temperature, but feeding the cubs with milk rich in nutrients takes a lot of energy from the female. In addition to producing nutritious milk, the female is forced to protect her offspring from all sorts of threats.

In some species, the young stay with their mother for a long time and learn the necessary skills. Other species of mammals (such as artiodactyls) are born quite independent and do not require excessive care.

Role in the ecosystem

The ecological roles or niches filled by more than 5,000 species of mammals are varied. Each mammal has its place in the food chain: there are omnivores, carnivores and their prey - herbivorous mammals. Each type, in turn, affects. Partly because of their high metabolic rates, mammals' impact on nature is often disproportionate to their numerical abundance. Thus, many mammals may be carnivores or herbivores in their communities, or play important roles in seed dispersal or pollination. Their roles in the ecosystem are so varied that it is difficult to generalize. Despite their low species diversity compared to other groups of animals, mammals have a significant impact on the global population.

Meaning for a person: positive

Mammals are important to humanity. Many mammals have been domesticated to provide humankind with products such as meat and milk (such as cows and goats) or wool (sheep and alpacas). Some animals are kept as service or pet animals (eg dogs, cats, ferrets). Mammals are also important to the ecotourism industry. Think about the many people who go to zoos or all over the world to see animals such as whales. Mammals (such as bats) often control pest populations. Some animals, such as rats and mice, are vital to medical and other scientific research, and other mammals can serve as models in medicine and human research.

Meaning for a person: negative

Plague epidemic

Some mammal species are believed to have detrimental effects on human interests. Many species that eat fruits, seeds and other types of vegetation are pests of crops. Carnivores are often considered a threat to livestock or even human life. Common in urban or suburban areas, the mammals can become a problem if they cause damage to cars when they get on the road or become household pests.

Several species coexist well with humans, including domesticated mammals (eg, rats, house mice, pigs, cats, and dogs). However, through the intentional or unintentional introduction of invasive (non-native) species into ecosystems, they have negatively impacted the native biodiversity of many regions of the world, especially endemic island biota.

Many mammals can transmit diseases to people or livestock. Bubonic plague is considered the most famous example. This disease is spread by fleas, which are carried by rodents. Rabies is also a significant threat to livestock and can also kill people.

Security

Overexploitation, habitat destruction and fragmentation, the introduction of invasive species and other human-induced factors threaten the planet's mammals. Over the past 500 years, at least 82 species of mammals are considered extinct. Currently, about 25% of mammal species (1 thousand) have been listed on the IUCN Red List as they face various risks of extinction.

Species that are rare or require large ranges are often at risk due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Animals known to threaten people, livestock or crops may die at the hands of humans. Those species that are exploited by humans for quality (for example, for meat or fur) but are not domesticated are often depleted to critically low levels.

Finally, it has a negative impact on flora and fauna. The geographic ranges of many mammals are changing due to changes in temperature. As temperatures rise, which is especially noticeable in the polar regions, some animals are unable to adapt to new conditions and may therefore become extinct.

Security measures include monitoring habitats and carrying out a set of measures to protect mammals.

Animals or mammals are the most highly organized. A developed nervous system, feeding their young with milk, viviparity, and warm-blooding allowed them to spread widely throughout the planet and occupy a wide variety of habitats. Mammals are animals that live in forests (wild boars, moose, hares, foxes, wolves), mountains (rams, steppes and semi-deserts (jerboas, hamsters, ground squirrels, saigas), soil (mole rats and moles), oceans and seas ( dolphins, whales). Some of them (for example, bats) spend a significant part of their active life in the air. Today, the existence of more than 4 thousand species of animals is known. Orders of mammals, as well as the characteristic features inherent in animals - we will talk about all this in This article Let's start with a description of their structure.

External structure

The body of these animals is covered with hair (even whales have its remains). There are coarse straight hairs (hair) and fine curly hairs (undercoat). The undercoat protects the hair from contamination and matting. The coat of mammals can consist only of awns (for example, in deer) or from undercoat (as in moles). These animals shed periodically. In mammals, this changes the thickness of the fur, and sometimes the color. The skin of animals contains hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands and their modifications (mammary and odorous glands), horny scales (as on the tail of beavers and rats), as well as other horny formations found on the skin (horns, hooves, nails, claws). Considering the structure of mammals, we note that their legs are located under the body and provide these animals with more advanced movement.

Skeleton

They have a highly developed braincase in their skull. In mammals, teeth are located in the cells of the jaws. They are usually divided into molars, canines and incisors. The cervical spine in almost all animals consists of seven vertebrae. They are movably connected to each other, except for the sacral and two caudal ones, which, fused, form the sacrum - a single bone. The ribs articulate with the thoracic vertebrae, which are usually from 12 to 15. In most mammals, the girdle of the forelimbs is formed by paired shoulder blades and clavicles. Only a small part of the animals have crow bones preserved. The pelvis consists of two pelvic bones fused to the sacrum. The skeleton of the limbs is made of the same bones and sections as those of other representatives of four-legged vertebrates.

What sense organs do mammals have?

Mammals are animals that have ears that help them detect odors and also determine their direction. Their eyes have eyelids and eyelashes. On the limbs, belly, and head there are vibrissae - long, coarse hairs. With their help, animals sense even the slightest touch of objects.

Origin of mammals

Just like birds, mammals are descendants of ancient reptiles. This is evidenced by the similarity of modern animals with modern reptiles. It is especially evident in the early stages of embryonic development. An even greater number of similarities were found in them with wild-toothed lizards, which became extinct many years ago. Also, the relationship with reptiles is evidenced by the fact that there are animals that lay eggs containing many nutrients. Some of these animals have cloaca, developed crow bones and other signs indicating low organization. We are talking about proto-beasts (egg-laying). Let's tell you more about them.

Primordial beasts

This is a subclass of the most primitive mammals alive today. Along with the signs already mentioned, it should be noted that they do not have a constant body temperature. The mammary glands of primal beasts do not have nipples. The cubs, hatched from the eggs, lick the milk from the mother's fur.

In this subclass, one order is distinguished - Monotremes. It includes 2 species: the echidna and the platypus. These animals can today be found in Australia, as well as on the islands adjacent to it. The platypus is a medium-sized animal. It prefers to settle along the banks of rivers and leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle here. He spends most of his time in a hole he dug in a steep bank. In the spring, the female platypus lays eggs (usually two of them) in a special burrow equipped with a nesting chamber. Echidnas are burrowing animals. Their body is covered with hard hair and spines. The females of these animals lay one egg, which they place in a pouch, a fold of skin located on the abdomen. The baby hatched from it remains in the pouch until needles appear on its body.

Marsupials

The order Marsupials includes animals that give birth to immature cubs, after which they carry them to term in a special pouch. Their placenta is poorly developed or does not form at all. Marsupials are distributed mainly in Australia, as well as on the islands adjacent to it. The most famous of them are the marsupial and the giant kangaroo.

Insectivores

Insectivores are an order that unites ancient placental primitive animals: hedgehogs, shrews, moles, muskrats. They have an elongated muzzle and an elongated proboscis. Insectivores have small teeth and five-toed feet. Many of them have scent glands near the root of the tail or on the sides of the body.

Shrews are the smallest representatives of insectivores. They live in meadows, bushes, and dense forests. These animals are voracious and attack small animals. In winter, they make tunnels under the snow and find insects.

Moles are animals that lead an underground lifestyle. They dig numerous holes with their front legs. The mole's eyes are poorly developed and appear as black dots. The ears are in their infancy. The short, thick coat does not have a specific direction and lies tightly to the body when moving. Moles are active all year round.

Chiroptera

The order Bats or Chiroptera includes animals of medium and small sizes that are capable of long flight. In the subtropics and tropics they are especially numerous. These type of teeth. The most common in our country are earflaps, leather boots, and vechnitsy. They settle in the attics of houses, in tree hollows, and in caves. During the day they prefer to sleep in their shelters, and at dusk they go out to catch insects.

Rodents

This order unites a third of the mammal species inhabiting our planet today. These include squirrels, gophers, rats, mice and other animals of medium and small size. Rodents for the most part are herbivorous animals. They have highly developed incisors (two in each jaw), molars with a flat chewing surface. Rodent incisors have no roots. They constantly grow, self-sharpen and wear off when eating food. Most rodents have a long intestine with a cecum. Rodents lead an arboreal lifestyle (dormouse, flying squirrels, squirrels), as well as a semi-aquatic (muskrat, nutria, beaver) and semi-subterranean (gophers, rats, mice). These are fertile animals. Most of them have cubs born blind and naked. This usually occurs in nests, hollows and burrows.

Lagomorpha

This order unites various pikas and pikas - animals that are similar in many ways to rodents. The main distinguishing feature of lagomorphs is their specific dental system. They have 2 small incisors behind the 2 large upper ones. Hares (hares, hare) feed on the bark of bushes and young trees, and grass. They come out to feed at dusk and at night. Their cubs are born sighted, with thick fur. Unlike hares, rabbits dig deep holes. Before giving birth to naked and blind cubs, the female makes a nest from the fluff that she pulls out of her chest, as well as from dry grass.

Predatory

Representatives of this order (bears, stoats, martens, lynxes, arctic foxes, foxes, wolves) usually feed on birds and other animals. The predatory mammal actively pursues its prey. The teeth of these animals are divided into incisors, molars and canines. The most developed are the canines, as well as 4 molars. Representatives of this order have a short intestine. This is due to the fact that the predatory mammal eats easily digestible and high-calorie food.

Pinnipeds

Let's move on to the consideration of pinnipeds. Their representatives (walruses, seals) are large predatory marine mammals. The body of most of them is covered with sparse coarse hair. The limbs of these animals are modified into flippers. A thick layer of fat is deposited under their skin. The nostrils open only during inhalation and exhalation. When diving, the ear openings close.

Cetaceans

True marine mammals - whales and dolphins - are included in this order. Their body is fish-shaped. These marine mammals for the most part do not have hair on their bodies - they are preserved only around the mouth. The forelimbs have been transformed into flippers, but the hind limbs are missing. In the movement of cetaceans, a powerful tail, which ends in a caudal fin, is of great importance. It is incorrect to say that marine mammals are fish. These are animals, although in appearance they resemble fish. Representatives of cetaceans are the largest mammals. The blue whale reaches a length of 30 meters.

Artiodactyls

This order includes medium-sized and large omnivores and herbivores. Their legs have 2 or 4 toes, most of them are covered with hooves. Based on the structural features of the stomach and methods of feeding, they are divided into non-ruminant and ruminant animals. The latter (rams, goats, deer) have incisors only on the lower jaw, and the molars have a wide chewing surface. Non-ruminants have a single-chamber stomach, and their teeth are divided into molars, canines and incisors.

Odd-toed ungulates

Let us continue to describe the orders of mammals. Even-toed ungulates are animals such as horses, zebras, donkeys, tapirs, and rhinoceroses. Most of them have developed toes on their feet, on which there are massive hooves. Today, only Przewalski's horse has survived.

Primates

These are the most highly developed mammals. The order includes prosimians and apes. They have grasping five-fingered limbs, with the thumb opposed to the rest. Almost all primates have a tail. The vast majority of them live in the subtropics and tropics. They inhabit mainly forests, where they live in small family groups or herds.

Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians - all of them can be described for a very long time. We have only briefly described the animals and described the existing units. The mammal family is diverse and numerous, as you have just seen. We hope that getting to know him was useful to you.

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Carnivores Family: Mustelidae Genus: Weasels and ferrets Species: Steppe ferret The steppe, light or white ferret (lat. Mustela eversmanni) is a species of nocturnal mammals from the mustelidae family. The Latin specific epithet is given in honor of the Russian zoologist E. A. Eversman (1794-1860). The steppe ferret is the largest representative of its species. The steppe ferret has a dual meaning for people. WITH […]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Lagomorpha Family: Pikas Genus: Pikas Species: Steppe pika The small pika, or steppe pika (lat. Ochotona pusilla) is a mammal of the genus of pikas of the order Lagomorpha. Pikas are the smallest animals of the lagomorph family. The ideal habitat for these animals is areas with high vegetation. The habitat of the steppe pika is relatively small, it covers [...]

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Rodents Family: Hamsters Genus: Lagurus Gloger, 1841 Species: Steppe pied A small animal that looks like a mixture of a vole and a hamster - the steppe pied is the only species of the genus Lagurus, from the hamster family. There are four subspecies of this animal. They can be seen in a field or steppe, however, despite their size, […]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Rodents Family: Mouseworts Genus: Mouseworts Species: Steppe mousebird The steppe mousebird, or southern mousebird, or three-lined mousebird (lat. Sicista subtilis) is a species from the genus of mousebirds of the mousebird family. Local names are striped mouse, chilly mouse, beaded mouse. The species was first described in 1773. Mice are cute little rodents that look like mice […]

Kingdom: Animals Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Carnivores Family: Mustelidae Genus: Otters Species: Otter Subspecies: Central Asian otter The Central Asian otter is a rare semi-aquatic animal leading a twilight-night hidden lifestyle. It digs burrows in steep river banks or among the root systems of large trees, retaining the right to individual exit under water. Currently, information about the exact number [...]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Artiodactyls Family: Bovids Genus: Sheep Species: Bighorn sheep The bighorn sheep is an animal that belongs to the family of artiodactyls. It is also called bighorn or chubuk, but the name snow accurately characterizes the inhabitant of mountain slopes and snow-capped peaks. Distributed in Eastern Siberia. Due to such an exotic choice of habitat, it will be far from […]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Infraclass: Placental Order: Primates Family: Indriaceae Genus: Sifaki Sifaki (lat. Propithecus) are funny, lemur-like, medium-sized monkeys from the Indriaceae family, which once and for all have chosen the dense forests of the eastern part of Madagascar. For the inhabitants of the island, all lemurs are inviolable: according to their belief, these are the souls of ancestors who left the earth, and sifakas are revered and […]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Rodents Family: Hamsters Genus: Gray hamsters Species: Gray hamsters Approximately three hundred species of various breeds are included in the family Hamsters, which include not only known species of domestic pets, but also wild representatives about which collected not enough information. The gray hamster (lat. Cricetulus migratorius) belongs to rodents from the genus of gray hamsters. It is very similar to [...]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Chiroptera Family: Smooth-nosed bats Genus: Long-eared bats Species: Gray long-eared bat Gray long-eared bat (lat. Plecotus austriacus) is one of the species of the genus of long-eared bats from the family of common bats. Has characteristic ears. Hunts above forests, often during the day, mainly for moths. Very similar to the common long-eared bat, and was identified as a separate species only in the 1960s. Previously here in […]

Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class: Mammals Order: Rodents Family: Squirrel Genus: Marmots Species: Gray marmot The gray or Altai or Mountain Asian marmot (lat. Marmota baibacina) is a mammal of the genus of marmots. Just like the bobak, it belongs to the bobak group, which unites several closely related species of Eurasian marmots - the steppe, or boibak, actually gray, forest-steppe and Mongolian, or tarbagan. Fossil remains of gray marmots of Quaternary age are known from Altai caves. Appearance […]

The bobcat or red lynx (Lynx rufus) is a species of predatory mammal from the cat family native to North America. There are currently 13 subspecies of red lynx. Description The red lynx is almost twice the size of a domestic cat. Body length ranges from 65 to 105 cm. The tail adds an additional 11 to 19 cm to the total length of the animal. Height at withers […]

It is currently known that these creatures are a relict species, since they appeared on the planet approximately 30-40 million years ago. During this time, the animals remained virtually unchanged. The Red Book has long been replenished with muskrats. For a long time, there was an active hunt for these small animals to obtain musk and high-quality warm fur. The widespread capture of animals has become [...]

Origin of the species Unfortunately, most people know about this animal only by hearsay. Not everyone can even pronounce its name correctly. For example, the word "beaver" is confused with "beaver". Meanwhile, the second word denotes the name of the fur of this animal. Although in spoken language no one adheres to these rules anymore. The beaver family is known on different continents. It is known about 22 […]

There is probably no person who does not know what the Red Book is. The river otter is listed in this book as an endangered animal. The river otter (in Latin - Lutra vulgaris) is a medium-sized mammal and is a predator. The otter comes from the marten family. Appearance The river otter has a streamlined body shape, its length is from 55 to 95 centimeters, […]

Mammals are the most highly organized class of animals, especially with regard to the nervous system and sensory organs. Currently, about 5,000 species of them live on Earth. However, during the evolution of the class, about 20,000 species arose, most of which became extinct. Mammals became warm-blooded animals and adapted to different habitats and feeding methods. All this has given rise to diversity [...]

The field mouse is a rodent of the genus field mice. Description of the field mouse The field mouse has many varieties. Among its close relatives there are: common - the most common species; red - an inhabitant of the predominantly hot steppes of Asia; forest, preferring forest-steppe zones of the Eurasian and North American continents; underground - a resident of city communications and local areas. Despite their diversity, they all belong to the genus of voles, to the family […]

The Central Asian leopard, or Caucasian leopard, is a predatory mammal from the cat family, a subspecies of leopard that lives in western Asia. Appearance Central Asian leopards are one of the largest subspecies of leopards in the world. Their body length is from 126 to 183 cm, the tail is 94-116 cm long. The skull length in males is 20-25 cm, in females 20-22 cm. The upper teeth of males reach […]

Middendorf's vole, a species of the genus of gray voles. Includes the North Siberian vole. Description Body length up to 143 mm, tail length up to 42 mm (about 25% of body length). The color of the back is light, grayish-brown, sometimes with a reddish coating. The ventral side is silvery-gray, sometimes yellowish. The tail is usually two-colored. There are 50 chromosomes in a karyotype. Habitat Lives in tundras and forest-tundras from the Northern Urals to Kolyma, most often […]

Paleopropithecus or the great sloth lemur is a genus of subfossil giant lemurs from the island. Madagascar, highly specialized, like sloths, for an arboreal lifestyle. Today, the genus includes 3 species. Known from Pleistocene-Holocene deposits and became extinct in historical times, most likely due to human economic activity. The appearance of Paleopropithecus was distinguished by a massive skull 19-21 centimeters long with a mandibular symphysis, moderate […]

The common vole is a species of rodent of the genus Gray Vole. What does it look like? Voles are similar to mice, but belong to the Hamster family. The body length of the common vole is 9–14 cm, the tail length is up to 5 cm. The weight of this animal usually does not exceed 45 g. The color of the fur on the back can vary from light brown to dark gray-brown, sometimes with an admixture of brownish-rusty tones. The abdomen is dirty gray, sometimes [...]

Oryx, or oryx, is a species of saber-horned antelope native to Eastern and Southern Africa. The name oryx may also refer to other species of oryx. External characteristics With a height at the withers of 1.20 m, the common oryx is the largest representative of the genus of oryx, also called oryx. Both sexes have a thick neck, long and sharp horns, sometimes reaching 1.5 m, and a tail resembling a horse. Cubs, like other oryxes, are already born [...]

The Iberian mountain goat is a ruminant mammal of the genus of true mountain goats, forms three subspecies; close to the Siberian goat and the Caucasian aurochs. The Iberian mountain goat is distinguished by the presence of hoof glands on the front legs, its horns are similar to the horns of the aurochs. Completely extinct at the beginning of the 21st century due to uncontrolled hunting and agricultural activities by humans. But from the last animal that died in 2000, scientists were able to take […]

The white rhinoceros is the largest member of the rhinoceros family. History and subspecies There are two subspecies of the white rhinoceros, which have genetic differences and live in different regions of Africa. The northern white rhinoceros lived in southern Chad, southwestern Sudan, northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), northwestern Uganda and the Central African Republic. Back in 1960, more than 2,000 northern whites were recorded […]

Gerbils belong to the order Rodents. There are 110 known species of these small animals, similar in appearance to rats. They have well-developed vision and hearing, and their hind limbs are elongated, thanks to which gerbils move deftly on their hind legs. Gerbils are kept as pets. Description of the rodent The body length of the gerbil is 5-20 cm, the tail length is 6-24 cm. The weight is within […]

The hedgehog is a representative of the phylum Chordata, the class Mammals, the order Urchinidae, and the family Urchinidae. Where the Russian name for the animal came from still remains a mystery. There is a version that the term goes back to the Greek word “echinos”, which translates as “snake eater”. Another option is based on the Indo-European “eg`h”, which means “to stab”. Description of the common hedgehog The common hedgehog is small in size: body length 20-30 cm, […]

Class Mammals Order Carnivores Family Canidae Genus Wolves Species Polar wolf The polar wolf is a subspecies of the common wolf. The mammalian predator belongs to the Canidae family and the Wolves genus. According to one of the versions existing today, polar wolves are considered as the ancestors of the domesticated Samoyed aboriginal dog, but this hypothesis has not yet received indisputable scientific evidence. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE […]

Mouflon is one of the oldest representatives of the animal world. These artiodactyls are considered the ancestors of the domestic sheep. Even those who have never seen a wild ram can recognize it by its characteristic rounded horns. Description Mouflon is an animal that is on the verge of extinction. Small wild mouflon. The height of an adult individual is ninety centimeters, and the length of the body is 1 meter 30 […]

The Mexican grizzly is a subspecies of brown bear that became extinct in historical times (60s of the 20th century). Appearance The size of the bear was very large. The ears are small, the forehead is high. In adults, there was a well-defined “hump” in the area of ​​the shoulder blades. The claws on the front paws are long (up to 80 mm), slightly curved, and light. The body color is brown, individually variable from light golden to dark yellow. Range They were previously widespread [...]

Maral is a separate subspecies of the red deer species. Red deer are shy and cautious animals. It is very difficult to see a deer in the forest. The maral, sensing a person, immediately disappears. Most likely, over many years these animals have developed an increased instinct of self-preservation. Appearance This species was isolated as an independent species back in 1873. However, later, in 1961, he was […]

It is part of the monkey family and is the closest relative of the drill. Both species (along with several others) are included in the group of baboons. Appearance In its natural position (on four limbs), this large monkey resembles three animals at once - a wild boar, a dog and a baboon. The massive head extends into an elongated, straight muzzle, which would look exactly like a dog's if […]

The honey badger or ratel is a large predator from the mustelidae family with a unique appearance and habits, which makes it possible to distinguish the animal into a separate subfamily, forming a single genus and species. The predators got their original name thanks to their ardent passion for honey, which they actively extract by destroying bee nests. Another name is the Indian honey badger, which comes from the habitat of the animal – Asian countries […]

Ungulates are a superorder of placental mammals of the chordate type. A characteristic feature of ungulates is a decrease in the size of the collarbones or their complete absence due to the ability to run quickly. During movement, ungulates rely only on fingers covered with horny hooves; the number of fingers ranges from one to four. In the process of evolution, all animals of this superorder descended from ancient ungulates - condylartra. Today […]

The hoofed lemming is a species of medium-sized rodent of the subfamily of voles. Appearance Hoofed lemmings are small rodents adapted to life in the tundra. Body length 12.5-16 cm, tail 1-2.2 cm. They are very similar to real lemmings, with which they live together, but the claw of the first toe of the front paw is not flattened and this toe itself is shortened. But on the 3rd and 4th fingers there are claws […]

Speckled gopher - lives mainly in the steppes. This is a fussy creature, vigilantly guarding its own hole. Anyone who has ever been to the steppes has repeatedly seen the silhouettes of these animals, standing in columns, with their front legs folded on their chests, and looking around the surroundings. One moment - and the gopher disappeared! Speckled gopher: description of appearance This is one of the short-tailed and small […]

The Caspian seal, or Caspian seal, is a species of true seal of the order Carnivora (previously belonged to the order Pinnipeds). Appearance and features The shape of the body of a predatory animal looks very much like a spindle. Such a body allows you to easily and quickly move in water spaces. The body length of an adult varies from 130 to 170 centimeters, body weight is 40-120 kilograms. In these mammals, sexual dimorphism is slightly expressed. […]

The red pika is a species of lagomorphs from the pika family. Appearance of the small pika The animals reach 15-20 centimeters in length and weigh from 150 to 280 grams. The ears are small, round, and dark brown in color. The ears are framed by a light border, but on the inside of the auricle there is a dark stripe. The tail is so short that it is impossible to notice. The length of the mustache reaches [...]

Martens are a genus of predatory mammals from the mustelidae family. Description of the marten This is a fairly large animal. The marten's habitats are coniferous and mixed forests, in which there are sufficient numbers of old hollow trees and impenetrable thickets of bushes. It is in such places that the marten can easily get food and find shelters, which it arranges in hollows at altitude. This is interesting! The marten can climb quickly […]

Kulan - this is the mysterious name of one of the wild donkeys - a distant descendant of the African donkey. Unlike its ancestor, the Asian wild ass - another name for the wild ass - is considered one of the animals that has never been domesticated, and is one of the few species of the equine family remaining in the wild. Description of the kulan The body length of the kulan is from 175 [...]

The great kudu, or horned antelope, is one of the tallest antelopes on the planet. This animal stands out for its majesty among other representatives of the species. At the shoulders, its height reaches one and a half meters, and the spiral-shaped horns of the male can grow up to 120-150 centimeters. Description of the Greater Kudu The body color of the Greater Kudu varies from reddish-brown to bluish or blue-gray. In the southern populations of the species […]

The wood mouse is a mammal of the genus of the mouse mouse of the order of rodents. History of the discovery of the species The wood mouse was first described by academician P. S. Pallas in 1775, calling the animal “birch forest”. In European Russia, a naturalist discovered a “chilly or wandering mouse,” which, judging by the description, was also a wood mouse. External signs of the wood mouse The body length of the wood mouse reaches 7.6 cm, the tail is 0.9-1.02 cm, which […]

Kongoni antelope or steppe hartebeest belongs to the bovid family. There are 8 subspecies in this species, 2 of which were previously considered as separate species. In former times, this population was widespread in Africa, but the destruction of the natural habitat, hunting, and competition with livestock sharply reduced the number of these animals. They currently live south of the Sahara in […]

The Chinese river dolphin (Baiji) was one of the rarest mammals on Earth. Since 1996, its status in the International Red List is “critically endangered species”. Since 2006, the status of the species is “extinct”. One of the names of the dolphin is “Panda of the Yangtze”. Who are river dolphins People are accustomed to the fact that dolphins are inhabitants of salty sea and ocean waters. But there is […]

The Caribbean monk seal, or tropical monk seal, or West Indian monk seal is a now extinct member of the monk seal genus, a family of true seals. Appearance Body length approximately 2.4 meters. The body color is almost uniform - brown with a gray tint; shading into a pale yellow or yellowish-white belly. Distribution Inhabited the coasts and islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico from Honduras and Yucatan in the east to Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas. Distribution is currently unknown. Apparently, they were still encountered in 1952 in the waters of the Serranilla Bank […]

Argali, or mountain sheep, or argali, is a cloven-hoofed mammal from the bovid family that lives in the mountainous regions of Central and Central Asia, including in the south of Siberia. Protected by environmental organizations; Currently, the international Red Book considers it to be a species close to vulnerable. Also included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Description of appearance Mountain sheep Argali are the largest among all varieties of this genus. In scientific classification [...]

Lesser noctule - belongs to the family of smooth-nosed bats. It is a species of least concern, but in recent decades there has been a steady decline in its population in several regions. Description Body length 48-68 mm, wingspan 260-330 mm. Weight 8-20 g. Females are slightly larger and heavier than males. The hair on the back is dyed in two colors [...]

Kangaroo rats and potoroos are a family of marsupial mammals. It includes small, brown animals that look like large rodents or miniature wallabies. Appearance The body length of this mammal can reach from 24 to 41 cm, the tail length is 25-32 cm, and the total body weight of the rodent varies from 655 to 2 kg. Her coat is soft and reliably protects against [...]

The Caucasian otter is a predatory animal that looks like a marten or mink. The animal has an elongated body, is an active hunter, and belongs to the Mustelidae family. This subspecies is found in the Western Caucasus, and is found in the Kuban and in the Kuma regions, near the sea coasts. Today the Caucasian otter is listed in the Red Book of Russia. Description This is a fairly large predator. With its tail, its body length is […]

The common longwing is a species of bat from the Smooth-nosed family. The specific name is given in honor of the Austrian zoologist Karl Franz Anton von Schreibers (1775-1852). External characteristics A small bat with small ears and long wings, which are its main feature. It is thanks to them that the longwing can develop high flight speeds - up to 70 km/h - and fly over long distances. The maximum recorded flight length is […]

Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates. Their heart is four-chambered. Skin with a large number of glands. Hair growth is developed. The cubs are fed with milk, which is produced in the mammary glands of the female. The central nervous system is highly developed. Mammals inhabit land, seas and fresh waters. All of them descended from land-based ancestors. More than 4,000 species are known.

Most mammals are four-legged animals. The body of these animals is raised high above the ground. The limbs have the same sections as the limbs of amphibians and reptiles, but are located not on the sides of the body, but under it. Such structural features contribute to more advanced movement on land. Mammals have a well-defined neck. The tail is usually small in size and... sharply separated from the body. The body is covered with hair. The hair on the body is not uniform. There is an undercoat (protects the body from cooling) and a guard (prevents the undercoat from matting and protects it from contamination). Moulting, which is inherent in mammals, is expressed in the loss of old hair and its replacement with new ones. Most animals have two molts during the year - in spring and autumn. Hair consists of horny substance. Horny formations are nails, claws, and hooves. The skin of mammals is elastic and contains sebaceous, sweat, mammary and other glands. The secretions of the sebaceous glands lubricate the skin and hair, making them elastic and resistant to wetness. Sweat glands secrete sweat, the evaporation of which from the surface of the body protects the body from overheating. Mammary glands are present only in females and function during the period of feeding the young.

Most mammals have five-fingered limbs. However, due to adaptation to movement in different environments, changes in their structure are observed. For example, in whales and dolphins, the forelimbs have changed into flippers, in bats - into wings, and in moles they have the appearance of spatulas.

The mouth of mammals is surrounded by fleshy lips. The teeth located in the mouth serve not only to hold prey, but also to grind food, and therefore they are differentiated into incisors, canines and molars. The teeth have roots with which they are strengthened in the sockets of the jaws. Above the mouth there is a nose with a pair of external nasal openings - nostrils. The eyes have well-developed eyelids. The nictitating membrane (third eyelid) is underdeveloped in mammals. Of all animals, only mammals have an external ear - the auricle.

The skeleton of mammals is similar to that of reptiles and consists of the same sections. However, there are some differences. For example, the skull of mammals is larger than that of reptiles, which is associated with the larger size of the brain. Mammals are characterized by the presence of seven cervical vertebrae (38). The thoracic vertebrae (usually 12-15 of them) together with the ribs and sternum form a strong chest. The massive vertebrae of the lumbar region are movably articulated with each other. The number of lumbar vertebrae can be from 2 to 9. The sacral section (3-4 vertebrae) fuses with the pelvic bones. The number of vertebrae in the caudal region varies significantly and can be from 3 to 49. The girdle of the forelimbs of mammals consists of two shoulder blades with crow bones attached to them and two clavicles. The girdle of the hind limbs - the pelvis - is formed by three pairs of usually fused pelvic bones. The skeletons of the limbs of mammals are similar to those of reptiles. Most mammals have well-developed muscles of the back, limbs and their girdles.

Digestive system.

Almost all mammals bite off food with their teeth and chew it. In this case, the food mass is abundantly moistened with saliva secreted into the oral cavity by the salivary glands. Here, along with grinding, food digestion begins. The stomach of most mammals is single-chambered. In its walls there are glands that secrete gastric juice. The intestine is divided into small, large and rectal intestines. In the intestines of mammals, as well as in reptiles, the food mass is exposed to digestive juices secreted by the intestinal glands, liver and pancreas. Remains of undigested food are removed from the rectum through the anus.

In all animals, the chest cavity is separated from the abdominal cavity by a muscular septum - the diaphragm. It protrudes into the chest cavity with a wide dome and is adjacent to the lungs.

Breath.

Mammals breathe atmospheric air. The respiratory system consists of the nasal cavity, larynx, trachea, lungs, characterized by a large branching of the bronchi, which end in numerous alveoli (pulmonary vesicles), intertwined with a network of capillaries. Inhalation and exhalation are carried out by contracting and relaxing the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm.

Circulatory system. Like birds, the mammalian heart consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Arterial blood does not mix with venous blood. Blood flows through the body in two circulatory circles. The mammalian heart provides intense blood flow and supply of body tissues with oxygen and nutrients, as well as the release of tissue cells from waste products.

The excretory organs of mammals are the kidneys and skin. A pair of bean-shaped kidneys are located in the abdominal cavity on the sides of the lumbar vertebrae. The resulting urine enters the bladder through two ureters, and from there it is periodically discharged through the urethra. Sweat released from the sweat glands of the skin also removes small amounts of salts from the body.

Metabolism. The more advanced structure of the digestive organs, lungs, heart and others ensures a high level of metabolism in animals. Due to this, the body temperature of mammals is constant and high (37-38°C).

The nervous system has a structure characteristic of all vertebrates. Mammals have a well-developed cerebral cortex. Its surface increases significantly due to the formation of a large number of folds - convolutions. In addition to the forebrain, the cerebellum is well developed in mammals.

Sense organs. Mammals have well-developed senses: olfactory, auditory, visual, tactile and gustatory. The organs of vision are better developed in animals living in open areas. Animals living in the forest have better developed senses of smell and hearing. The organs of touch - tactile hairs - are located on the upper lip, cheeks, and above the eyes.

Reproduction and development of mammals. Mammals are dioecious animals. In the reproductive organs of the female - the ovaries - eggs develop, in the reproductive organs of the male - testes - sperm. Fertilization in mammals is internal. Mature cells enter the paired oviduct, where fertilization occurs. Both oviducts open into a special organ of the female reproductive system - the uterus, which is found only in mammals. The uterus is a muscular sac, the walls of which can stretch greatly. The egg that has begun to divide attaches to the wall of the uterus, and all further development of the fetus occurs in this organ. In the uterus, the membrane of the embryo is in close contact with its wall. At the point of contact, a baby's place, or placenta, is formed. The embryo is connected to the placenta by the umbilical cord, inside which its blood vessels pass. In the placenta, through the walls of blood vessels, nutrients and oxygen enter the blood of the fetus from the mother's blood, and carbon dioxide and other waste products harmful to the fetus are removed. The duration of development of the embryo in the uterus varies among different mammals (from several days to 1.5 years). At a certain stage, the mammalian embryo has the rudiments of gills and is similar in many other characteristics to the embryos of amphibians and reptiles.

Mammals have a well-developed instinct to care for their offspring. Female mothers feed their cubs with milk, warm them with their bodies, protect them from enemies, and teach them to look for food. Caring for offspring is especially highly developed in mammals whose young are born helpless (for example, a dog, a cat).

Origin of mammals.

The similarity of modern mammals to reptiles, especially in the early stages of embryonic development, indicates the close relationship of these groups of animals and suggests that mammals evolved from ancient reptiles (39). In addition, even now in Australia and on the adjacent islands there live oviparous mammals, which, in their structure and reproductive characteristics, occupy an intermediate position between reptiles and mammals. These include representatives of the oviparous order, or primal beasts, - the platypus and the echidna.

When breeding, they lay eggs covered with a durable shell that protects the contents of the egg from drying out. The female platypus lays 1 - 2 eggs in the burrow, which she then incubates. The echidna carries a single egg in a special pouch, which is a fold of skin on the ventral side of the body. The oviparous cubs that hatch from the egg are fed with milk.

Order Marsupials. These include kangaroos, marsupial wolves, marsupial koala bears, and marsupial anteaters. In marsupials, unlike primitive animals, the development of the embryo occurs in the mother’s body, in the uterus. But the baby's place, or placenta, is absent, and therefore the baby does not stay in the mother's body for long (for example, in a kangaroo). The baby is born underdeveloped. Its further development occurs in a special fold of skin on the mother’s abdomen - the bursa. Primordial animals and marsupials are an ancient group of mammals, widespread in the past.

The importance of mammals and the protection of useful animals.

The significance of mammals for humans is very diverse. Undoubtedly harmful include many rodents that harm crops and destroy food supplies. These animals can also spread dangerous human diseases. Some predatory mammals (in our country the wolf) that attack livestock cause known harm to the human economy.

The benefit of wild mammals is to obtain valuable meat, skin and fur from them, and also fat from sea animals. In the USSR, the main game animals are squirrel, sable, muskrat, fox, arctic fox, and mole.

In order to enrich the fauna (fauna is the species composition of the animal world of a country or region), acclimatization (introduction from other areas or countries) and resettlement of useful animals are constantly carried out in our country.

In the USSR, many species of mammals are protected by law, the hunting of which is completely prohibited.

The main orders of placental mammals:

You will learn what mammals eat from this article.

What do mammals eat?

Mammals are a class of vertebrates that appeared at the very latest stages of evolution. Everyone (except whales and dolphins) has fur and 4 legs. Almost all animals are warm-blooded and give birth to live offspring. Mammalian babies who are born feed on their mother's milk. These animals live everywhere: in the sea, in the air, underground and on the ground. They prefer a secretive lifestyle.

The diet of mammals is quite diverse: no class of vertebrates uses such a full range of plant foods. The vegetative parts of shrubby, herbaceous and woody plants are the basis of the diet of proboscis, ungulates, rodents and lagomorphs. Most rodents eat underground parts of plants. Aquatic plants make up the diet of sirens.

Squirrels, mice, and chipmunks live off fruits and seeds. They feed on deer, martens, bears, and wild boars. Fruits are an integral food for fruit bats. Some groups of bats and certain species of marsupials use flower nectar; South American vampire mice suck the blood of other mammals. But the main food of baleen whales, the largest mammals, is sea plankton.

What do carnivorous mammals eat?

Only some carnivorous mammals feed on large live prey (like cats). Most of them diversified their diet with plant foods. Often predators attack prey that is larger than themselves. They have advantages - dexterity, strength, surprise of attack, or they hunt in groups. It is known that the common mole is a soil mammal that feeds on animal food: slugs, earthworms, insects and larvae. Another example, it is known that the common hedgehog is a predatory mammal that feeds on frogs, invertebrates, plant matter and snakes.

Mammals that feed on carrion are called detritivores. These include jackals and hyenas. Bears, lions, and dogs include carrion in their diet. Animals that eat insects can also be classified as predators. Mammals that feed on insects are insectivores. These include the echidna, opossums, some marsupials, numbats, aardvarks, anteaters, representatives of bats, monkeys and rodents.