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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 Eulipotyphla Ungulata Cetacea Lagoiformes Pholidota Proboscidea Monotremata
Acinonyx jubatus

Acinonyx jubatus

Acinonyx jubatus, Cheetah , Hunting Leopard,Guépard,Chita, Guepardo, Gepard,Cheetah

Features:The fastest mammal on land (short distance) is the cheetah

Cheetah (scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus) English Cheetah, Hunting Leopard, French Guépard, Spanish Chita, Guepardo, German Gepard, is the only species under the genus Cheetah, with 5 subspecies and 1 variant.Cheetah population densities range from 1 per 20 square kilometers to 1 per 100 square k...

Enhydra lutris

Enhydra lutris

Enhydra lutris,Sea Otter

Features:It has the densest fur in the animal kingdom.

Sea Otter (scientific name: Enhydra lutris) is also known as Sea Otter in foreign languages. There are 3 subspecies.Sea otters are good at diving, often diving to 3-10 meters, and sometimes diving to 50 meters deep to find food. They rarely move on land and never go far from the coast. Compared with...

Aonyxcapensiscongica

Aonyxcapensiscongica

Aonyxcapensiscongica,Congo small-clawed otter, Cameroon clawless otter

Features:A subspecies of the African small-clawed otter

The Zaire small-clawed otter is also known as the Congo small-clawed otter (Aonyx capensis congica) and the Cameroon clawless otter. It is a subspecies of the African small-clawed otter. Its habits are unknown. They are threatened by habitat loss.Listed in Appendix I, Appendix II and Appendix III of...

Pteronura brasiliensis

Pteronura brasiliensis

Pteronura brasiliensis,Giant Otter,giant otter, giant otter, South American giant otter, Brazilian giant otter

Features:It is the largest of the 13 otter species.

Giant Otter (scientific name: Pteronura brasiliensis) is also known as Giant Otter in English. There are 2 subspecies.Giant otters usually move in family units during the day, usually 5-9 individuals, and rarely move alone. They usually feed on larger fish, and also prey on snakes or small crocodile...

Lontra felina

Lontra felina

Lontra felina,chungungo、Marine Otter,Cat

Features:It is the only otter species that lives only in the ocean.

Peruvian Otter (scientific name: Lontra felina) is also known as chungungo and Marine Otter. There are no subspecies.When not breeding, Peruvian otters are mostly solitary animals. When found in groups, the group size rarely exceeds 2-3 individuals. Activity is usually diurnal, with peak activity oc...

Lontra longicaudis

Lontra longicaudis

Lontra longicaudis,Long-tailed otter

Features:Small eyes, short round ears, short legs, small feet, strong, webbed claws. Long tail

Long-tailed Otter (Lontra longicaudis) They seem to prefer clear rivers and are less likely to be found downstream in turbid waters. They are solitary and feed mainly on fish and crustaceans. They are protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild F...

Lontra provocax

Lontra provocax

Lontra provocax

Features:The body is slender, the limbs are short, and the animal is brave and flexible. There are webbed feet between the toes.

The Chilean otter (scientific name: Lontra provocax) is a semi-aquatic mammal.The Chilean otter is nocturnal and is good at swimming and diving. It can stay underwater for 2 minutes at a time. They catch fish as fast as a cat catching a mouse. Before catching, they often lie in wait on rocks by the...

Lontra canadensis

Lontra canadensis

Lontra canadensis,North American River Otter,Canadian otter, northern otter

Features:The body is streamlined, with a sturdy torso and short legs, webbed toes, and a long tail.

North American River Otter (scientific name: Lontra canadensis) is also known as North American River Otter in foreign languages. There are 7 subspecies.North American River Otters generally live in pairs, and sometimes form family units. It is a highly active animal. As long as it is not sleeping,...

Lutra sumatrana

Lutra sumatrana

Lutra sumatrana,Hairy-nosed Otter,Sumatran otter

Features:The name mainly comes from the hair on the tip of its nose

Hairy-nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana), also known as Hairy-nosed Otter, lives in Southeast Asia and is one of the most endangered species in the world.Hairy-nosed Otter lives in swamp forests in inland streams or coastal areas. They are nocturnal and usually hunt alone or in groups of 2-4. They feed o...

Lutra nippon

Lutra nippon

Lutra nippon

Features:Due to overhunting and severe environmental damage, it is now extinct.

The Japanese otter, scientifically known as Lutra nippon, is endemic to Japan and is now extinct.The Japanese otter was previously mistakenly classified as a subspecies of the Eurasian otter, but later studies have found that they belong to an independent species in the genus Lutra. Japanese otters...

Taxidea taxus

Taxidea taxus

Taxidea taxus,American Badger,Badger

Features:Gray or red body color, white throat, black patches on face

American Badger (scientific name: Taxidea taxus) is also known as American Badger in English. It has 5 subspecies.The American badger lives alone, is nocturnal, forages at dawn and dusk, has a semi-hibernating habit, and digs holes for home. Its nest can sometimes be up to 3 meters deep, and it buil...

Mellivora capensis

Mellivora capensis

Mellivora capensis, Honey Badger、 Ratel, Blaireau à miel, Ratel, Honigdachs,Flathead

Features:Guinness World Records named it the "most courageous animal"

Honey badger (scientific name: Mellivora capensis) English Honey Badger, Ratel, French Blaireau à miel, Ratel, German Honigdachs, there are 12 subspecies.In the southern region of the Kalahari Basin, adult male honey badgers have an average home range of 541 square kilometers, while adult female ho...

Mydaus javanensis

Mydaus javanensis

Mydaus javanensis,Indonesian stink badger, Sunda stink badger

Features:The body is thick and fat, with short limbs, short and round ears, small eyes and a pointed nose, and a short and thick neck.

The Sunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis), also known as the Indonesian stink badger, lives on the islands of Borneo, Java, and Sumatra. It is a carnivore.The Sunda stink badger is an animal that humans should avoid: like its close relative the skunk, the Sunda stink badger will spray a foul-smelli...

Melogale orientalis

Melogale orientalis

Melogale orientalis,Javan ferret badger,Burmese ferret badger

Features:Able to climb trees, not good at jumping

The Javan ferret badger's scientific name is Melogale orientalis, and its foreign name is Javan ferret badger. It is an animal of the genus Ferret badger.The Javan ferret badger inhabits forests, shrubs, and trees. It lives in self-excavated tree holes or rock caves. It only goes out to hunt in...

Melogale moschata

Melogale moschata

Melogale moschata,Chinese Ferret-badger,Fish loach, white-nosed civet cat, white-fronted civet cat, mountain badger, piglet civet cat

Features:When walking, the abdomen is almost touching the ground, and the nose is often close to the ground to search for progress.

The ferret badger (scientific name: Melogale moschata) is known as Chinese Ferret-badger and has 7 subspecies.Ferret badgers are nocturnal. They come out in pairs after dark and return to their burrows in the early morning. Individual activities and foraging can last until dawn. They usually live in...

Arctonyx collaris

Arctonyx collaris

Arctonyx collaris,Hog-Badger,Sand badger, mountain badger

Features:The body is stout, with a bare and protruding snout like a pig's snout.

Hog Badger (scientific name: Arctonyx collaris) is also known as Hog-Badger in English. There are 6 subspecies.Hog Badger likes to live in caves, digging caves in barren hills, roadsides, ridges, etc., and also invading the caves of other animals. The structure of the cave is relatively simple, with...

Meles meles

Meles meles

Meles meles,Eurasian Badger,Badger, badger, mountain badger,

Features:It is ferocious, but does not actively attack livestock or people.

Badger (scientific name: Meles meles) is also known as Eurasian Badger. It is a large-bodied species in the Mustelidae family and has 14 subspecies.Badgers are most active in spring and autumn, usually starting at 8-9 pm and returning to their dens around 4 am. When leaving the cave, it slowly tries...

Poecilogale albinucha

Poecilogale albinucha

Poecilogale albinucha,White-necked ferret

Features:Very similar to the honey badger

The white-necked weasel (scientific name Poecilogale albinucha) is a small carnivore. It is smaller than the honey badger. The important thing is that it has a white neck, which is very similar to the "white hair" of the honey badger. In addition, the back of the white-necked weasel is als...

Ictonyx striatus

Ictonyx striatus

Ictonyx striatus,zorille,African stoat, Striped stoat

Features:The poisoning method is sophisticated and can cause blindness from a distance

The African sagebrush (scientific name Ictonyx striatus), also known as zorille, usually lives alone and hunts at night. The African sagebrush is an aggressive and territorial animal. It usually marks its territory with feces and anal scent gland spray. The spray released by the odor glands can cove...

Lepus yarkandensis

Lepus yarkandensis

Lepus yarkandensis, South Xinjiang rabbit, hare, Shache rabbit

Features:Smaller in size, lighter in fur, larger in ears, with non-black ear tips.

The classification status of the Tarim rabbit is stable, but there is a lot of controversy about which species group it belongs to. The number of Tarim rabbits is small. They adapt to a dry climate with little rain (annual rainfall is less than 100mm) and small oases with summer temperatures as high...

Lepus tolai

Lepus tolai

Lepus tolai,Hare, Central Asian rabbit, Steppe rabbit

Features:There is a long and wide black spot in the center of the back of the tail, and the edges and the ventral side of the tail are pure white, extending to the base of the tail.

Mongolian rabbits are active both day and night, but are most active at dusk. The number of Mongolian rabbits is relatively small. In the plains, Mongolian rabbits mostly live in semi-desert and desert steppes, oases, or Artemisia grass steppes with halophytes, and in the woods, canal banks, fallow...