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 Eulipotyphla Ungulata Cetacea Lagoiformes Pholidota Proboscidea Monotremata
Cervus canadensis

Cervus canadensis

Cervus canadensis,Wapiti, Alashan Wapiti, Izubra/Manchurian Wapiti, McNeill’s Deer, Merriam’s Wapiti, Shou, Siberian Wapiti, Tien Shan Wapiti, Tule Elk,Cerf Wapiti,Uapití,, red deer, eight-forked deer

Features:The second largest deer in the world

Red deer, also known as Wapiti in English, is a large deer species. Due to different origins, the morphology of red deer also varies. There are 8 subspecies in the world. There are about 3 subspecies of red deer in China, most of which are endemic to China.Seasonal migration of red deer occurs at al...

Cervus nippon

Cervus nippon

Cervus nippon,Sika Deer,Flower deer, deer

Features:It is a species native to eastern Asia.

Sika deer, also known as sika deer in English, is a small to medium-sized deer with 16 subspecies.Sika deer are alert, agile, have well-developed hearing and sense of smell, but weak vision, and are timid and easily startled. Because of their slender limbs and narrow and pointed hooves, they can run...

Rusa unicolor

Rusa unicolor

Rusa unicolor, Sambar, Indian Sambar, Sambar Deer,Indischer Sambarhirsch, Pferdehirsch, Sambar,Cervus unicolor Kerr,Black deer, spring deer

Features:It is the largest deer species in tropical and subtropical regions.

Sambar, also known as the water deer in English, has 8 subspecies and is the largest deer in tropical and subtropical regions.The important features that distinguish the water deer from other deer species are: small horns and few forks; movable incisors; a palm-sized piece of inverted hair on...

Axis porcinus

Axis porcinus

Axis porcinus, Hog Deer, Indian Hog Deer, Indochina Hog Deer, Indochinese Hog Deer, Thai Hog Deer,Cerf des Marais, Cerf-cochon, Cerf-cochon d'Indochine,Ciervo Porquerizo de Indochina , Indischer

Features:Rare animals that once became extinct in ChinaRare animals that once became extinct in China

Hog Deer, also known as Hog Deer in English, has 3 subspecies and is a medium-sized deer.Hog Deer like to move alone, occasionally 2-3 gather together, but never gather in large groups. However, they often gather in temporary small groups during the rutting season and in feeding areas, with each gro...

Muntiacus gongshanensis

Muntiacus gongshanensis

Muntiacus gongshanensis,Gongshan Muntjac,Muntjac, Green Muntjac, Black Muntjac

Features:The hoof is the most developed among muntjacs.

Gongshan Muntjac has no subspecies and belongs to the medium-sized muntjac.Gongshan Muntjac generally moves alone at night, is more active in the early morning and dusk, and is less active during the day. They like to eat green grass on the grass slopes at the edge of the forest, and also eat fresh...

Muntiacus crinifrons

Muntiacus crinifrons

Muntiacus crinifrons,Black fronted Muntjac,Black and gold muntjac, shaggy muntjac, red-headed muntjac, muntjac, green muntjac

Features:The "Black Gold Noble" among Muntjacs

Black fronted Muntjac is a larger species of muntjac, and its appearance is very similar to the Gongshan Muntjac distributed in western Yunnan and Myanmar.Black muntjacs are timid and cowardly, with a strong sense of fear. They are mostly active in the morning and evening. During the day, they often...

Water deer

Water deer

Musk deer, musk deer, horse deer, musk deer, river muntjac

Features:Considered the most primitive deer

獐外文名River Deer,有2个亚种,比麝略大。《本草纲目》说注:“獐无香,有香者麝也,俗称土麝,呼为香獐”。獐不结大群,居或成双活动,最多3-5只在一起。行动时常为窜跳式,迅速。獐生性胆小,两耳直立,感觉灵敏,善于隐藏,也善游泳,人难以近身。雄性獐是领地性很强的动物,会用尿液和粪便来标记自己的领地。当别的雄...

Musk deer

Musk deer

Moschus moschiferus

Features:"Forest Fragrant Concubine"

The Taiga Musk Deer has three subspecies and is a small mammal.Musk deer often move alone, or females and their offspring form a family, and are generally more active at dawn and dusk. In summer, they live mostly on steep cliffs near rocky cliffs and river valleys; in winter, they prefer to live in...

Himalayan Musk Deer

Himalayan Musk Deer

Tibetan Musk Deer

Features:One of the six species of musk deer in China

Himalayan Musk Deer, with no subspecies, is one of the six species of musk deer in China.Himalayan Musk has a strong sense of smell. Males mark their territory by rubbing their tail glands against vegetation. This secretion also deters competitors during the breeding season. Himalayan musk deer will...

Black Musk Deer

Black Musk Deer

Brown muntjac, black muntjac, muntjac

Features:It is a new species discovered and named by Chinese scientific and technological workers in the early 1980s.

Black Musk Deer has no subspecies and is similar in shape to the forest musk deer.Black Musk Deer have the habit of nocturnal activities and are more active at dawn and dusk. They usually move alone, and rarely move together in pairs. They usually communicate by marking through the scent of musk bet...

Dwarf musk deer

Dwarf musk deer

southern musk deer, forest musk deer, black musk deer, forest musk deer, musk deer

Features:The smallest species of musk deer

The foreign name of Forest Musk Deer is Forest Musk Deer. There are 5 subspecies, and the most famous "musk" is produced by it.The forest musk deer is a timid and solitary animal. It rests during the day and comes out in the morning and evening. Usually, males and females live separately a...

Anhui Musk Deer

Anhui Musk Deer

Features:Endemic to Dabie Mountain in western Anhui, China

Anhui musk deer is also known as Anhui musk deer in English. Since the Anhui musk deer was discovered in the 1980s, its biological classification has not been determined. Some people believe that Anhui musk deer is a subspecies of the original musk deer, while others believe that Anhui musk deer is...

Wilbur's mouse deer

Wilbur's mouse deer

Tragulus williamsoni

Features:A very small primitive deer

Williamson's Chevrotain, also known as Williamson's Chevrotain in English, is a very small primitive deer species with no subspecies.The Wilhelm's mouse deer is a species of mouse deer distributed in northern Thailand and Laos and Mengla County, Yunnan Province, China. It was originally...

Wild Camel

Wild Camel

Camelus ferus

Features:The most rare wild animal on earth than the giant panda

Bactrian Camel, a monotypic species, a giant ungulate, with no valid subspecies.Wild camels are good at running, agile, quick to react, and have a very strong sense of smell. Some people believe that they rely on their sense of smell to find water in the desert, or they may rely on their unique gene...

Asiatic Wild Ass

Asiatic Wild Ass

Asian wild ass, wild ass, asian wild ass

Features:有极强的耐力,警惕性高会掘井

Mongolian wild ass has the foreign name Asiatic Wild Ass, which has 5 subspecies and is a large ungulate animal.Mongolian wild ass has the habit of group activities, and female asses, male asses and young asses live together all year round. Each group has 5-8 or 20-30 heads. In summer, in places wit...

Przewalski's Horse

Przewalski's Horse

Wild horse, Asian wild horse, Mongolian wild horse, Junggar wild horse

Features:The Return of an Endangered Species

Przewalski's Horse is a large ungulate mammal.Przewalski's horses are alert and good at running; they usually form a herd of 5-20 horses, led by a strong male horse, and live a nomadic life. They often drink water from springs and streams along fixed routes at dawn and dusk. They wander in g...

Ribbon Seal

Ribbon Seal

Ring seal, ribbon seal

Features:Cute in black and white

Ribbon seal is a small species of seal with no subspecies.Usually live alone, usually gather in small groups. Most of their lives are spent migrating and foraging between breeding grounds and floating ice oceans. Once the breeding season arrives, seals of all ages, genders and sizes will gather toge...

Bearded seal

Bearded seal

Bearded seal

Features:The famous "Arctic Fat House"

Bearded seal has two subspecies and is the seal with the longest beard in the ocean.Bearded seals generally live alone and rarely board the same iceberg with other individuals. However, small groups of bearded seals can be seen on the ice in spring and early summer. Bearded seals that come onto the...

Eumetopias jubatus

Eumetopias jubatus

Eumetopias jubatus,Northern Sealion,North Pacific sea lion, Stevens sea lion, sea donkey

Features:It is the largest species of sea lion and is known as the "King of Sea Lions".

The northern sea lion is called Northern Sealion in foreign language. It is the largest species of sea lion family and has 2 subspecies.The northern sea lion is gentle and likes to gather in groups. Swimming and diving mainly rely on their long forelimbs. Occasionally, they will climb ashore to bask...

Callorhinus ursinus

Callorhinus ursinus

Callorhinus ursinus,Sea bears, Alaskan fur seals

Features:Polar fat beast with electric blanket skin

The scientific name of the northern fur seal is Callorhinus ursinus, which has 6 subspecies. It is a large marine mammal. The male northern fur seal's genitals are called "腽肭", which can be used as medicine. It is commonly known as the 腽肭兽.Northern fur seals are warm-blooded anima...

Panthera uncia

Panthera uncia

Panthera uncia,Snow Leopard、Ounce,Felis irbis、Uncia uncia、Felis uncioides、Felis uncia,Artemisia argyi, lotus leaf leopard, Sa (Tibetan)

Features:The majestic king of the snowy mountains

Snow leopard is a large cat with three subspecies. It is named after the fact that it often lives near the snow line and in the snow.Snow leopards prefer to move at dawn and dusk, and are more active at night than during the day. The early morning and dusk are the peak of hunting and activity, espec...