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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.

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 Eulipotyphla Ungulata Cetacea Lagoiformes Pholidota Proboscidea Monotremata
Nesokia indica

Nesokia indica

Nesokia indica

Rodents LC

Features:The back of the body is light brown or sandy yellow, with the brown being more prominent in the center of the back.

The Indian ground mouse belongs to the genus Nesokia of the subfamily Murinae. There are 2 species in the world and 1 species in China. There is not much controversy about the species status. In history, my country has named 2 species of ground mice, which were later proved to be synonyms of the Ind...

Mus pahari

Mus pahari

Mus pahari

Rodents LC

Features:The body is small, the ears are light brown, the back is brownish brown, the hair base is dark black, the tail is dark brown above and grayish white below. The four legs are white.

The taxonomic status of Sikkim mice is stable and there is little controversy. There are many subspecies, few studies on subspecies, and the status of several subspecies is unclear.Sikkim mice (scientific name: Mus pahari) are animals of the genus Mus in the family Muridae. In mainland China, they a...

Mus musculus

Mus musculus

Mus musculus,Mouse, rat, little mouse, mickey mouse, domestic deer

Rodents LC

Features:The most distinctive feature of mice is that there is a notch on the lingual edge of the upper incisor, which is very obvious when viewed from the side. House mice are no exception.

The house mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The species originated in India and arrived at the Mediterranean coast at the end of the Pleistocene. The time of its entry into my country is unknown. The species is considered to be an unintentional introduction. In Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, and th...

Mus caroli

Mus caroli

Mus caroli,Ryukyu house mouse, field mouse, moon mouse, Taiwan house mouse

Rodents LC

Features:The belly is light grayish white. The tail is obviously two-colored, with the back and body hair color consistent, and the belly is grayish white.

Castelloni's mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The origin of the model is the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, so it is also called the Ryukyu House Mouse. my country is also the natural distribution area of this mouse. Unlike the house mouse, it is an alien species. Castelloni's mouse is an i...

Niviventer fulvescens

Niviventer fulvescens

Niviventer fulvescens,Mountain rat, red rat, spiny yellow rat, yellow-haired jumping rat

Rodents LC

Features:The needle-haired mouse is medium-sized, with small round ears, brown or brownish-yellow fur on the back and white fur on the belly.

The needle-haired mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The species-level classification status is stable. The distribution altitude span is narrower than that of the communal mouse, generally not exceeding 1000m, and the vegetation type of the habitat is relatively simple, mainly distributed in b...

Niviventer eha

Niviventer eha

Niviventer eha,Niviventer eha eha,Niviventer eha ninus

Rodents LC

Features:There is a black band around the eyes, like the facial makeup of Peking Opera, which is also quite special.

Gray-bellied rat belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The classification status is stable and undisputed. However, the differentiation of subspecies needs further study. It is a forest animal of medium and high altitudes, and the population is large in suitable habitats.Main uses and values: ornamental...

Niviventer excelsior

Niviventer excelsior

Niviventer excelsior,Niviventer excelsior excelsior,Niviventer excelsior tengchongensis

Rodents LC

Features:

The Sichuan White-bellied Rat belongs to the Murinae subfamily. Previously, the Sichuan White-bellied Rat was considered a synonym of the Northern Rat. After the 1980s, its independent status was gradually accepted. The Sichuan White-bellied Rat is a larger individual of the genus Murina. It is a me...

Niviventer confucianus

Niviventer confucianus

Niviventer confucianus,Niviventer confucianus chiliensis,Niviventer confucianus confucianus,Rattus rattus, sulfur-bellied rattus, white-tailed star rattus, spiny gray rattus

Rodents LC

Features:The tail is longer than the body length, and the upper and lower parts of the tail are two colors. The back and body are the same color, and the belly is white. Some individuals have a white tail tip with longer hair at the tip of the tail.

The Northern Society Rat belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The species-level classification status is stable, with many subspecies and some controversy. In appearance, it is somewhat confused with the Niviventer excelsior and Niviventer fulvescens. However, the Niviventer excelsior is larger, with a...

Niviventer coninga

Niviventer coninga

Niviventer coninga,Coxing's White-bellied Rat,Mountain Mouse

Rodents LC

Features:It has a relatively sturdy body, a long and thick tail, large and thin ears, brown or slightly light brown back hair, and pure white belly hair.

The white-bellied giant rat belongs to the Murinae subfamily and the genus Long-tailed Rat. There are 4 species in this genus worldwide, and only the white-bellied giant rat, also known as the small bubble giant rat, is found in China. It is distributed at low altitudes, generally not exceeding 1000...

Berylmys bowersi

Berylmys bowersi

Berylmys bowersi,Green Rat, Mountain Rat, Green Rat

Rodents LC

Features:It is a larger species of rodent in the family Muridae, with a slender body and a size similar to that of the white-bellied giant rat, but with a bluish-brown fur on the back and gray on the back of the front feet. There is a small white section at the end of the tail.

The blue-haired giant rat belongs to the subfamily Murinae. The genus Rattus was previously considered a subgenus of the genus Rattus, and was only promoted to an independent genus by Musser & Newcomb in 1983. The taxonomic status of this species is undisputed. Although this species is widely di...

Bandicota indica

Bandicota indica

Bandicota indica,Large rat, small wallaby,Bandicota indica nemorivaga

Rodents LC

Features:The plate-toothed rat has a bulky body, a short and blunt snout, short ears, a thick tail, sharp claws, dark brown fur on the back, gray-brown fur at the base of the abdomen, and brown-yellow fur tips.

The laminae belongs to the Murinae subfamily and is one of the largest species in the Murinae subfamily. The type origin is India. There are 3 species in this genus worldwide, and 1 species is distributed in China. The taxonomic status of this species is stable, and there are different opinions on w...

Apodemus

Apodemus

Apodemus

Rodents LC

Features:The body shape is very similar to that of the wood mouse, with long ears that can be pulled forward to reach the eyes.

The small-eyed field mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily. It mainly lives in relatively humid forests and forest-steppes, and enters grasslands and desert steppes along river valleys and shrubs. In northern Xinjiang, it mostly lives in broad-leaved forests dominated by poplars and willows, conife...

Apodemus peninsulae

Apodemus peninsulae

Apodemus peninsulae,Wood mouse, mountain mouse, Korean wood mouse

Rodents LC

Features:A common rodent in forest areas, it has a slender body and resembles the black-striped field mouse, but without the black stripe in the middle of its back.

The Great Wood Mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily, and its species-level classification status is stable, with more subspecies differentiation and greater divergence. It belongs to the group with a wider distribution, higher altitude (southern China), and northern latitude in the genus Apodemus....

Apodemus latronum

Apodemus latronum

Apodemus latronum

Rodents LC

Features:It has a large body, a long and pointed snout and large ears.

The big-eared field mouse belongs to the subfamily Murinae. This species is only distributed from the Hengduan Mountains in China to southern Tibet, slightly extending to northern Myanmar, and there is no subspecies differentiation. This species is often easily confused with the dragon field mouse (...

Apodemus ilex

Apodemus ilex

Apodemus ilex

Rodents LC

Features:

The Lancangjiang Apodemus belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The taxonomic status of this species is controversial. For a long time, it has been regarded as a subspecies of Apodemus draco, because it is very similar to Apodemus draco in morphology, with only a difference in the fur color on the back....

Apodemus draco

Apodemus draco

Apodemus draco,Apodemus draco draco,Apodemus draco orestes,Apodemus draco semotus,Forest mouse, mountain mouse, dragon mouse

Rodents LC

Features:It is very similar to the black-striped field mouse, but has no black stripes on the back, its tail is usually slightly longer than its body length, and its ear shell is slightly larger and thinner than that of the black-striped field mouse.

Apodemus chinensis belongs to the Murinae subfamily. Also known as Apodemus chinensis, the species status of this species is stable. There were many subspecies in the past, including the current Apodemus taiwanensis and Apodemus lancangjiangensis. After the independence of Apodemus taiwanensis and A...

Apodemus chevrieri

Apodemus chevrieri

Apodemus chevrieri

Rodents LC

Features:It has a slightly large body, small ears, ochre-brown back and outer sides of the limbs, grayish-white dorsal surface, and the ventral surface gradually turns from black-brown to white.

The Alpine Apodemus belongs to the Murinae subfamily. The taxonomic status of this species is also controversial. In the past, some scientists regarded it as a subspecies of the black-lined Apodemus (<Apodemus agrarius>). There are also several synonyms. The Alpine Apodemus is the largest indi...

Apodemus agrarius

Apodemus agrarius

Apodemus agrarius,Field mouse, black-lined mouse, long-tailed black-lined mouse

Rodents LC

Features:There is a distinct vertical black stripe in the middle of the back, starting from the top of the head between the two ears and ending at the base of the tail, which is how the black-striped field mouse got its name.

The black-striped field mouse is a small rodent with a slender and agile body. It belongs to the subfamily Murinae. There are 21 species of the genus Apodemus in the world, 9 of which are in China, and the black-striped field mouse is one of them. It is mainly distributed in farmland, shrubs and gra...

Micromys minutus

Micromys minutus

Micromys minutus,Oat rats, garden rats, dwarf rats, etc.

Rodents LC

Features:They get their name from the fact that they build their nests on plant stems. Apart from the northern jerboa of the family Jerboa, they are the smallest representatives of the order Rodentia.

The nest mouse belongs to the Murinae subfamily. There are only two species in the world, and both are distributed in my country. The taxonomic status of the nest mouse is stable, but there are many subspecies, which is somewhat controversial. It is a common species in wheat fields, rice fields, tal...

Rhombomys opimus

Rhombomys opimus

Rhombomys opimus,Great Gerbil,Yellow rat, Greater sand rat

Rodents LC

Features:The giant gerbil is the largest species in the gerbil subfamily. It has a thick tail that is slightly shorter than its body, with a tuft of hair at the end of its tail. The hair on its head and the center of its back is light sandy yellow with a slight luster.

Gerbils live in colonies, often active during the day, and do not hibernate. In winter, the daily activity rhythm is unimodal, and its activity range generally does not exceed 2.5m; in summer, it is bimodal. As the temperature rises, outdoor activities gradually decrease. They do not go out at noon,...

Meriones unguiculatus

Meriones unguiculatus

Meriones unguiculatus,Meriones unguiculatus unguiculatus,Long-clawed gerbil, Mongolian gerbil, black-clawed Mongolian gerbil, yellow rat, sand rat

Rodents LC

Features:A small to medium-sized rodent with a long, thick tail covered with dense hair. The hair at the end of the tail is longer, forming a "hair tuft" at the end.

The long-clawed gerbil is a small grassland animal, between the size of a large rat and a small rat, a small to medium-sized rodent, and its appearance is very similar to that of the meridian gerbil. It belongs to the subfamily Gerbillinae. The species-level classification status is stable, and only...