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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.

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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
Propithecus diadema

Propithecus diadema

Propithecus diadema

Features:Likes to walk sideways

The scientific name of the crowned lemur is Propithecus diadema. It is a tree-dwelling animal with a sense of territory. It lives in groups and is active during the day. It feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, seeds and fruits. It likes to walk sideways. The mating season is from January to March, the ge...

Propithecus candidus

Propithecus candidus

Propithecus candidus

Features:Brightly colored fur

The scientific name of the velvet crown lemur is Propithecus candidus. It lives in groups and starts foraging at dawn. Its main food is flowers, young leaves, fruits and seeds. The mating season is from December to January of the following year. Each litter has 1-2 cubs.The IUCN Red List lists it as...

Indri indri

Indri indri

Indri indri,Prolemur

Features:It is the largest group of existing prosimian monkeys.

The giant lemur (scientific name Indri indri) is the only species in the giant lemur genus.The giant lemur is mainly arboreal, but also active on the ground. Most of them live in dense tropical jungles or arid areas; they are active during the day or at night. They feed on leaves, flowers, bark and...

Lepilemur leucopus,

Lepilemur leucopus,

Lepilemur leucopus,White-footed monkey, boxing monkey,White-footed ferret lemur

Features:It is named after its four white legs. It is extinct.

The scientific name of the white-footed ferret lemur is Lepilemur leucopus, which belongs to the lowest primitive monkey. It has evolved for nearly 30 million years, and it can be said that they are the slowest evolving primates.The white-footed ferret lemur is a nocturnal animal. When the weather i...

Microcebus marohita

Microcebus marohita

Microcebus marohita,Marohita Mouse Lemur

Features:It is the largest known species of dwarf lemur.

Marohita Mouse Lemur (scientific name: Microcebus marohita) is also known as Marohita Mouse Lemur. It has no subspecies. Its specific habits are unknown.Listed in the "Red List of Threatened Species of the World Conservation Union" (IUCN) 2014 ver 3.1 - Critically Endangered (CR).Protect w...

Microcebus margotmarshae

Microcebus margotmarshae

Microcebus margotmarshae,Margot Marsh's Mouse Lemur

Features:Named in honor of Margot Marsh

Margot Marsh's Mouse Lemur (scientific name: Microcebus margotmarshae) is a small lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has no subspecies. Its specific habits are unknown. The full information of the Magomash dwarf lemur was first collected on May 21, 2006, proposed by Andriantompohavana e...

Microcebus mamiratra

Microcebus mamiratra

Microcebus mamiratra,Claire's Mouse Lemur

Features:

Claire's Mouse Lemur (scientific name: Microcebus mamiratra), foreign name Claire's Mouse Lemur, no subspecies. Specific habits are unknown.Listed in the "Red List of Threatened Species of the World Conservation Union" (IUCN) 2014 ver 3.1 - Critically Endangered (CR).Protect wild a...

Microcebus macarthurii

Microcebus macarthurii

Microcebus macarthurii,MacArthur's Mouse Lemur

Features:The name is in honor of Catherine T. MacArthur, the founder of the MacArthur Foundation

MacArthur's dwarf lemur (scientific name: Microcebus macarthurii), foreign name MacArthur's Mouse Lemur, no subspecies.The MacArthur dwarf lemur is named in honor of Catherine T. MacArthur, founder of the MacArthur Foundation, which funded research that included the discovery of this species...

Microcebus lehilahytsara

Microcebus lehilahytsara

Microcebus lehilahytsara,Goodman's Mouse Lemur

Features:Named in honor of primatologist Steven Michael Goodman

Goodman's Mouse Lemur (scientific name: Microcebus lehilahytsara) is called Goodman's Mouse Lemur in English. There is no subspecies. The species' scientific name "lehilahytsara" is a combination of the Malagasy words "lehilahy" and "tsara", which mean "...

Microcebus jollyae

Microcebus jollyae

Microcebus jollyae,Grey-brown Mouse Lemur

Features:A small white patch on the nose

Jolly's dwarf lemur (scientific name: Microcebus jollyae) is also known as Grey-brown Mouse Lemur. The name of this species is in honor of primatologist Alison Jolly.Populations of the Jolly dwarf lemur are reported to occur in the forests of Mananjari and Kianjavato. The area is located at an a...

Microcebus gerpi

Microcebus gerpi

Microcebus gerpi,Gerp's Mouse Lemur

Features:New species discovered in 2012

Gerp's Mouse Lemur (Microcebus gerpi) is a new species discovered in 2012, and little is known about its behavior, communication methods, ecology or reproductive habits. The species appears to be confined to a small area of lowland evergreen rainforest and is seriously threatened by forest loss....

Microcebus danfossi

Microcebus danfossi

Microcebus danfossi

Features:

Microcebus danfossi (Microcebus danfossi) is an arboreal lemur that usually lives in pairs near streams or rivers. It feeds mainly on fruits and insects. It is active at night and spends the day hiding in tree holes. It is found in the mountainous rainforests of Madagascar.Listed in the 2014 Red Lis...

Microcebus bongolavensis

Microcebus bongolavensis

Microcebus bongolavensis,Bongolava Mouse Lemur

Features:A small lemur species endemic to Madagascar

Bongolava dwarf lemur (scientific name: Microcebus bongolavensis) is also known as Bongolava Mouse Lemur in English. Its specific habits are unknown.Listed in the 2014 Red List of Threatened Species of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) ver3.1 - Endangered (EN).Protect wild animals and stop eating...

Microcebus arnholdi

Microcebus arnholdi

Microcebus arnholdi,Arnold's dwarf lemur

Features:Long nose; round eyes

Arnold's dwarf lemur (scientific name: Microcebus arnholdi) lives in trees and groups, usually about 30 pairs living by streams or rivers. It mainly feeds on fruits and insects. It spends the day hiding in tree holes. In the evening, even if it wakes up, it will wait until sunset to scurry aroun...

Cheirogaleus minusculus

Cheirogaleus minusculus

Cheirogaleus minusculus,Lesser gray mouse lemur

Features:The second toe has a grooved and curved claw

The small iron-gray mouse lemur (scientific name: Cheirogaleus minusculus) is active during the day or at night, eating insects, fruits, reeds, leaves, and occasionally birds. It lives alone or in family groups. It hibernates. The gestation period is 120-150 days, and it gives birth from September t...

Perodicticus potto

Perodicticus potto

Perodicticus potto,West African Potto、Western Potto

Features:Has large eyes and small, hairless, round ears

West African Potto (scientific name: Perodicticus potto) is also known as West African Potto and Western Potto. The 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies all potto monkeys as one species, Perodicticus potto, which includes three subspecies. However, morphological and genetic data, name...

Perodicticus ibeanus

Perodicticus ibeanus

Perodicticus ibeanus,East African Potto, Eastern Potto

Features:The body emits a pungent smell similar to curry, which is used to mark the territory

East African Potto (scientific name: Perodicticus ibeanus) is called East African Potto and Eastern Potto in foreign languages. There are two subspecies.East African Potto is a nocturnal animal, coming out at night and hiding during the day. It lives in trees. They walk slowly and carefully in trees...

Perodicticus edwardsi

Perodicticus edwardsi

Perodicticus edwardsi,Milne-Edwards's Potto、 Central Potto

Features:Night vision is strong, and the germs carried in saliva

Central African Potto (scientific name: Perodicticus edwardsi), also known as Milne-Edwards's Potto and Central Potto in foreign languages, is a nocturnal animal that sleeps in the leaves during the day. It lives in trees and rarely moves on the ground. It is secretive, slow-moving, usually soli...

Loris tardigradus

Loris tardigradus

Loris tardigradus,Red Slender Loris、 Slender Loris、 Sri Lanka Slender Loris、 Sri Lanka Wet zone Slender Loris

Features:Dark fur with a white stripe from forehead to nose

The red loris (scientific name Loris tardigradus), whose foreign names are Red Slender Loris, Slender Loris, Sri Lanka Slender Loris, Sri Lanka Wet zone Slender Loris, was formerly included in the "grey loris" (Loris lydekkerianus) and was promoted to fully independent in 2001 species stat...

Loris lydekkerianus

Loris lydekkerianus

Loris lydekkerianus,Gray Slender Loris、 Grey Slender Loris、 Highland Slender Loris

Features:The index fingers on the hands and feet are shorter than the other fingers

Gray Slender Loris (scientific name: Loris lydekkerianus) has five subspecies. Gray Slender Loris was once classified as a subspecies of Loris tardigradus, "Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus". In 2001, this classification was updated based on behavioral, geographical and morphological data....

Arctocebus aureus

Arctocebus aureus

Arctocebus aureus

Features:

The scientific name of the small golden bear monkey is Arctocebus aureus. It lives alone, is active during the day, and lives in trees. They move very slowly. They mainly eat insects and occasionally eat fruits. The gestation period is 130 days, and one cub is born per litter. The cub is mainly held...