Home>>All Animals>>Mammal

mammals

Mammals are an important group of vertebrates characterized by the presence of mothers feeding their offspring. Notable characteristics of mammals include lactation, body hair, endothermy (warm-blooded animals), and a four-chambered heart. There are many species of mammals, living in almost all ecosystems on Earth, from the deep sea to the mountains, from tropical rainforests to the cold polar regions.

  • scientific name:Mammalia

  • Features

    • suckle:Females have mammary glands that secrete milk to feed their young.

    • Body hair:Most mammals are covered with hair.

    • Endothermic:Maintaining a constant body temperature through metabolism.

    • Four-chambered heart:Mammals have four-chambered hearts to ensure efficient oxygen delivery.

    • viviparous:Most mammals reproduce by giving birth to live young, but some species, such as monotremes (e.g. the platypus), lay eggs.

  • Habitat:Almost all habitats on Earth, including land, ocean, fresh water, polar regions, etc.

Mammals.jpg


Mammal classification table

Mammals are numerous and can be subdivided based on different biological characteristics. Mammals are roughly divided into three subclasses:

  1. Monotremata: Oviparous mammals.

  2. Marsupialia: Kangaroos, koalas, etc., whose young continue to develop in a pouch outside the mother's body.

  3. Eutheria: Viviparous mammals, the most abundant species, including humans, lions, whales, etc.

The following is a detailed classification table of mammals, including all orders, families, genera and typical animals:

sortOrderFamilyGenusExamples
MonotremataMonotremataOrnithorhynchidaeOrnithorhynchusPlatypus, Echidna


TachyglossidaeEchidnaEchidna
MarsupialiaMarsupialiaMacropodidaeMacropusKangaroos, wombats, possums


PhascolarctidaePhascolarctoskoala


DasyuridaeDasyurusBandicoot, Tasmanian devil
EutheriaCarnivoraCanidaeCanisWolf, dog, fox


FelidaeFelisHouse cat, lion, tiger


UrsidaeUrsusBlack bear, brown bear, polar bear

PerissodactylaEquidaeEquusHorse, donkey, zebra


RhinocerotidaeRhinocerosWhite rhino, black rhino


TapiridaeTapirusTapirus

ArtiodactylaBovidaeBosCattle, antelopes, sheep


CervidaeCervusDeer, reindeer, sika deer


SuidaeSusWild boar, domestic pig

CetaceaBalaenidaeMegapteraHumpback whale, blue whale


DelphinidaeDelphinusDolphins, killer whales

PrimatesCercopithecidaePongoOrangutans, gibbons, monkeys


HominidaeHomoHumans, chimpanzees, orangutans

RodentiaSciuridaeSciurusSquirrels, Ground Squirrels


CastoridaeCastorbeaver


MuridaeMusHouse mouse, vole

ChiropteraVespertilionidaeMyotisSmall bat, big bat

LagomorphaLeporidaeOryctolagusRabbit, hare

Characteristics and Adaptations of Mammals

Mammals are one of the most diverse groups in the biological world. Here are the main characteristics of mammals and how they adapt:


1. Breastfeeding

A notable feature of mammals is that mothers secrete milk through their mammary glands to feed their offspring. This allows mammal cubs to receive adequate nutritional support after birth, increasing their survival rate.


2. Body hair

Almost all mammals have body hair, which not only helps to keep warm, but also plays a camouflage or display function in some species. For example, the white hair of polar bears helps them camouflage in the snow and reduce the risk of being discovered by prey.


3. Homeothermy

Mammals maintain a stable body temperature through metabolism, which allows mammals to maintain a suitable temperature regardless of changes in the outside temperature. This feature allows mammals to survive in a variety of environments, including extreme environments such as polar regions and deserts.


4. Viviparity

Most mammals reproduce by giving birth to live young, which allows the embryo to receive more stable nutritional support in the mother's body and be more viable after birth. Some species, such as kangaroos and koalas, adopt marsupial parenting.


5. Diet

Mammals have a variety of diets, from herbivorous to carnivorous and omnivorous. Some species (such as bats) have even evolved to suck blood. Different diets allow mammals to find living space in a variety of ecological environments.


Summary: Mammals are the most advanced animals with the most perfect physiological functions. There are more than 4,000 existing mammals. Almost all mammals are warm-blooded. Feeding their offspring with breast milk is one of their most notable characteristics. Mammals include nearly 30 orders, including Monotremes, Carnivores, Primates, Perissodactyla, and Artiodactyla.

Carnivora Primates Rodents Chiroptera Shrews Ungulata Cetacea Lagomorpha Pholidota Proboscidea Monotremata
Ateles fusciceps

Ateles fusciceps

Ateles fusciceps

Features:

Brown-headed spider monkey (scientific name Ateles fusciceps) is a species of spider monkey, belonging to the New World monkey.Brown spider monkeys live in loose small groups of about 20 members each, but it is rare to see them gathering together. Male brown-headed spider monkeys generally do not le...

Alouatta seniculus

Alouatta seniculus

Alouatta seniculus

Features:Both males and females are dark reddish brown, but this fades with age.

Red howler monkey (scientific name Alouatta seniculus) is a species of howler monkey in South America.Red howler monkeys live in small groups of 3-9 individuals. They are polygamous. There is a male leader who leads the group to find food and defend it. Females in the group take care of the young. T...

Alouatta pigra

Alouatta pigra

Alouatta pigra,Red-faced howler monkey

Features:The howler monkey is the largest of the howler monkeys and the largest of the New World monkeys.

The howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), also known as the red-faced howler monkey, is a species of howler monkey in Central America.The howler monkey lives in groups, with about 1-2 adults in a group, and there are 1.3 females for every male. There are about 10 members in a group, including young monkey...

Alouatta palliata

Alouatta palliata

Alouatta palliata,Mantled Howler Monkey,Long-haired howler monkey

Features:It has long guard hairs on both sides, hence the name.

Mantled Howler Monkey (scientific name: Alouatta palliata) is also known as Mantled Howler Monkey in foreign languages. There are 5 subspecies and it is one of the most common and heard monkeys in Central America.Mantled Howler Monkeys live in groups. Their groups have about 10-20 members, usually 1...

Alouatta caraya

Alouatta caraya

Alouatta caraya

Features:It has black fur and a large throat, and can make very loud calls.

The scientific name of the black howler monkey is Alouatta caraya. It mainly eats fruits, leaves and seeds. They move in groups, move slowly on branches, and occasionally jump between branches. The throat is large and can make loud calls. Black howler monkeys like to sleep during the day and become...

Callicebus lucifer

Callicebus lucifer

Callicebus lucifer

Features:

The scientific name of the white-collared monkey is Callicebus lucifer. It moves in small groups with a common area and is diurnal. It uses its tail to maintain balance and is said to be good at jumping. It feeds on fruits, bird eggs, insects, and occasionally small birds. There is no seasonal repro...

Cacajao calvus

Cacajao calvus

Cacajao calvus

Features:Red face, bald head, long fur

The scientific name of the white bald monkey is Cacajao calvus. 67% of their food is seeds; 18% is fruits; 6% is flowers; and other prey and buds account for 5%. They also eat insects, but they will not actively seek them out as food.Listed in the IUCN Red List of Primates, Ver.: 2008 - Vulnerable (...

Chiropotes satanas

Chiropotes satanas

Chiropotes satanas,Black Bearded Saki,Black-bearded bush monkey

Features:The hair is parted in the middle, and the males have long beards.

The scientific name of the black bush-tailed monkey is Chiropotes satanas, and its foreign name is Black Bearded Saki. It has a strong jaw and hard teeth, and can eat hard seeds and fruits. It will wag its tail when excited.On December 16, 2021, the rare monkey cub, the black-tailed macaque cub, whi...

Aotus trivirgatus

Aotus trivirgatus

Aotus trivirgatus,Douroucouli、Night Monkey,owl monkey

Features:The call is complex and changeable, and it is very sensitive. If it encounters an obstacle, it will open its mouth and bite.

The night monkey (scientific name: Aotus trivirgatus) is also known as Douroucouli and Night Monkey in foreign languages. There is no subspecies. The night monkey is like an owl and is active at night, so it is also called owl monkey or owl monkey. At night, it relies on its unique eyes to find food...

Aotus lemurinus

Aotus lemurinus

Aotus lemurinus,Colombian Night Monkey,Gray-bellied Night Monkey

Features:The only truly nocturnal monkey in the world

Aotus lemurinus (scientific name: Colombian Night Monkey) is a species of Aotus lemurinus. It has a very strange appearance and two subspecies.Aotus lemurinus is most active in the hours before dusk and dawn. These monkeys live in small groups of 2-5 members, including a pair of adult monkeys and th...

Saimiri sciureus

Saimiri sciureus

Saimiri sciureus

Features:It has a slender body, a long tail, and mostly golden fur.

Squirrel monkeys (scientific name: Saimiri sciureus) have 4 subspecies. They are small monkeys native to South America. They are easy to domesticate and can reproduce. They are gradually becoming pets.Squirrel monkeys live in primary forests, secondary forests and cultivated areas, usually near stre...

Saimiri oerstedi

Saimiri oerstedi

Saimiri oerstedi,Panamanian squirrel monkey, red-backed squirrel monkey

Features:The back is orange and the face is black and white

The scientific name of the red-backed squirrel monkey is Saimiri oerstedi. There are two subspecies: 1. S. o. oerstedii: distributed on the western Pacific coast of Panama and the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. 2. S. o. citrinellus: distributed in central Costa Rica, with an estimated number of only 1...

Saimiri ustus

Saimiri ustus

Saimiri ustus,Naked-eared squirrel monkey

Features:The mouth and nose are black, like makeup.

The scientific name of the Mahe squirrel monkey, Saimiri ustus, is a tree-dwelling animal that occasionally moves on the ground. They are active during the day, usually in groups of 10-30, sometimes up to 100 or even more. Each group has its own territory and uses the secretions of the anal glands a...

Sapajus robustus,

Sapajus robustus,

Sapajus robustus, Crested Capuchin、Robust Tufted Capuchin,Schopfkapuzineraffe, Macaco Prego、macaco prego de crista,Crested Capuchin

Features:The top of the head has a conical crown that is bright red with a black spot

Sapajus robustus (scientific name: Sapajus robustus) English Crested Capuchin, Robust Tufted Capuchin, German Schopfkapuzineraffe, Portuguese Macaco Prego, macaco prego de crista, no subspecies.Black-crowned macaques are similar to other closely related macaque species, with top-ranking males domina...

Sapajus nigritus

Sapajus nigritus

Sapajus nigritus, Black-horned Capuchin、Black Capuchin、Black-capped capuchin, Sajou、Sapajou, Capuchino、Mono-capuchino, Schwarzer Kapuzineraffe

Features:It is named for the two distinct tufts of black fur on the top of its head.

Black-horned Capuchin (scientific name: Sapajus nigritus) is called Black-horned Capuchin, Black Capuchin, Black-capped capuchin in English, Sajou, Sapajou in French, Capuchino, Mono-capuchino in Spanish, and Schwarzer Kapuzineraffe in German. It has two subspecies.The black-capped cebus was origina...

Sapajus libidinosus

Sapajus libidinosus

Sapajus libidinosus, Bearded Capuchin、Black-striped Capuchin,Rückenstreifen-Kapuzineraffe, Macaco-prego、Macaco-prego-amarelo

Features:There are black "sideburns" extending along the sides of the face, which looks like a beard.

Bearded Capuchin (scientific name: Sapajus libidinosus) English Bearded Capuchin, Black-striped Capuchin, German Rückenstreifen-Kapuzineraffe, Portuguese Macaco-prego, Macaco-prego-amarelo, no subspecies.The bearded monkey is a New World monkey, a member of the family Capuchinidae, which also inclu...

Sapajus flavius

Sapajus flavius

Sapajus flavius, Blonde Capuchin、 Marcgrave's Capuchin Monkey, Blonder Kapuzineraffe

Features:The body hair is almost uniformly golden yellow

Blonde Capuchin (scientific name: Sapajus flavius) English Blonde Capuchin, Marcgrave's Capuchin Monkey, German Blonder Kapuzineraffe, no subspecies, is a smaller species of Sapajus species.In 1648, German naturalist Georg Marcgrave first described the golden monkey as "caitaia". In 17...

Sapajus cay

Sapajus cay

Sapajus cay,Azara’s Capuchin、 Hooded Capuchin、yellow bearded capuchin,Sajou brun、Sapajou、Sapajou du Paraguay, Capuchino de Azara、 Mono、Mono-Capuchino, Azara-Kapuzineraffe, Scimmie Cappucine

Features:The top of the head has short, upright dark brown tufts of hair, like a hat

Sapajus cay (scientific name: Sapajus cay) is called Azara’s Capuchin, Hooded Capuchin, yellow bearded capuchin in English, Sajou brun, Sapajou, Sapajou du Paraguay in French, Capuchino de Azara, Mono, Mono-Capuchino in Spanish, Azara-Kapuzineraffe in German, Scimmie Cappucine in Italian, no subspe...

Sapajus apella

Sapajus apella

Sapajus apella,Black-capped Capuchin、 Guianan Brown Capuchin、 Margarita Island Capuchin、 Tufted Capuchin, Apella、 Faunaffe、Gehaubter Kapuziner

Features:The Internet celebrity monkey with a square face

Black-capped Capuchin (scientific name: Sapajus apella) is called Black-capped Capuchin, Guianan Brown Capuchin, Margarita Island Capuchin, Tufted Capuchin in English, Apella, Faunaffe, Gehaubter Kapuziner in German, and has 2 subspecies.Black-capped monkeys typically have a home range of 25-40 hect...

Saguinus bicolor

Saguinus bicolor

Saguinus bicolor,Brazilian Bare-faced Tamarin,Black and white tamarin, black and white tamarin, two-colored tamarin, two-colored tamarin, spotted-faced tamarin, two-colored tamarin

Features:The colors are mainly black, white and brown.

The black-and-white tamarin (scientific name: Saguinus bicolor) is also known as the Brazilian Bare-faced Tamarin. It is an endangered primate.The black-and-white tamarin lives in small groups, with about 2-15 members in a group. In the Yadovduk Forest Reserve, there are an average of 4-8 black-and-...

Sapajus xanthosternos

Sapajus xanthosternos

Sapajus xanthosternos, Buff-headed Capuchin、Yellow-breasted Capuchin,Gelbbrust-Kapuzineraffe,Macaco-prego, Macaco-prego-de-peito-amarelo

Features:Yellow to golden on the chest, abdomen, and upper arms

Sapajus xanthosternos (scientific name: Sapajus xanthosternos) English Buff-headed Capuchin, Yellow-breasted Capuchin, German Gelbbrust-Kapuzineraffe, Portuguese Macaco-prego, Macaco-prego-de-peito-amarelo, no subspecies.The golden-bellied monkey is arboreal, diurnal, moves on quadrupeds, and tends...