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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
Trachypithecus francoisi

Trachypithecus francoisi

Black monkey, black leaf monkey, monkey hanging monkey, rock spider monkey

Features:The black leaf monkey is large, thin, with slender limbs and a particularly long tail that is longer than the head and body. The head is small with a tuft of upright black crested hair on the top of the head. It does not have cheek pouches. The whole body is black, and the hair is shiny. From the base of the front of the ear to the corner of the mouth, there is a white band composed of white hair on the left and right. There is a small amount of yellow-white hair on the inner side of the upper edge of the ear. The back of the ear is almost hairless, and there is a circle of light white hair at the base. The tip of the tail is white. The top of the head, back and tail of the newborn monkey are gray-brown, and the rest of the body is orange-yellow. After one month, the whole body begins to gradually turn black, and after half a year, it is basically close to the body color of the adult monkey.

The black leaf monkey, with a black body, upright crest on the top of the head, and only white cheeks and tail tip, is a national first-class protected animal. There are only about 2,000 black leaf monkeys in the world. Among them, there are 76 groups of about 730 black leaf monkeys in the Mayang Ri...

Giraffa

Giraffa

Kirin, Kirin Deer, Long-necked Deer

Features:The tallest living land animal in the world

Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world today. Their long necks stand tall, easily attracting people's interest.Why is its neck so long? Some scientists believe that the neck of the giraffe's "ancestor" was not very long. Changes in the earth's crust, unfavorable living e...

Choeropsis liberiensis

Choeropsis liberiensis

Hexaprotodon liberiensis,pygmy hippopotamus,pygmy hippopotamus,dwarf hippopotamus

Features:A distant relative of the hippopotamus, a national treasure of a West African country, and a miniature version of the "blood horse".

The hippopotamus actually has a cousin that is nearly ten times smaller than it - the pygmy hippopotamus. It looks like a hippopotamus that is ten sizes smaller. People who are not familiar with the pygmy hippopotamus would definitely think that the pygmy hippopotamus is a hippopotamus cub.The pygmy...

Hippopotamus amphibius

Hippopotamus amphibius

Nile Hippopotamus, Pig of the River

Features:The thickness of its skin is about 3 cm, which is about 0.5 cm thicker than the skin of an elephant. It is the third largest mammal on land.

Hippopotamus are large herbivores second only to elephants and rhinos in size, and are also very ferocious. Hippopotamus have hairless bodies, short and clumsy limbs, wide mouths with sharp tusks. Hippopotamus' eyes, external ears and nostrils are all exposed and protruding....

Tapirus indicus

Tapirus indicus

Asian tapir,Indian tapir

Features:The largest species of tapir, it has a nose like an elephant, ears like a horse, a head like a pig, hind legs like a rhinoceros, and a body like a bear, but not all of them are like the same species, so people call it "five-unlike".

The body color of an adult Malay tapir is the classic "black and white", with no other colors. The head, shoulders, and limbs are all black, but the middle and back of the body is white, as if wearing a white "vest". The overall physique is strong, and at first glance it is a bit...

asian elephant

asian elephant

elephant

Features:Asian elephants have two ridges on the top of their heads, like longevity stars, which African elephants do not have.

Asian elephants are giant herbivoresFood,The staple food is bamboo shoots, young leaves, wild plantains and palm leaf reeds, etc. In the morning, evening and night, Asian elephants will go out to forage. They mainly eat grass, leaves, buds and bark. Asian elephants also eat crops such as bananas and...

giant anteater

giant anteater

anteater,ant bear

Features:The largest animal among the anteaters

Giant anteaters may occupy territories as large as 9,000 hectares. Communication and perception, as well as most communication, occurs between young and their mothers, including courtship and fighting when they are only briefly together. These include fighting, sniffing, hissing, and growling...

takin

takin

Takin,wildebeest,golden takin

Features:It is shaped like a cow and sounds like a sheep. It is also known as the four different things.

Takin is a large bovine herbivore distributed in the dense forests of the eastern foothills of the Himalayas. Due to different origins, the coat color gradually becomes lighter from south to north. Divided into 4 subspecies: Gaoligong takin, Bhutan takin, Sichuan takin, Qinling takin, all pro...

giant panda

giant panda

Cat bear,bamboo bear,silver dog,iron-eating beast

Features:China’s national treasure and living fossil in the biological world

The giant panda has lived on the earth for at least 8 million years and is a first-level protected animal in China. At the end of 2016, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) downgraded the giant panda's threat level from "endangered" to "vulnerable" . However, due to its low fertility rate, it...

black bear

black bear

Ursus thibetanus,Moon bear,bear,black blind man

Features:Black bears have excellent tree climbing abilities

Black bears, also known as Asiatic black bears, were historically placed in a separate genus <Selenarctos>. A wild hybrid between a black bear and a sun bear has been recorded in Cambodia. Black bears use a variety of forest habitats within their distribution area, including broadleaf forests and coniferous forests. The altitude span of their activities can range from close to sea level to 4000m, and they may occasionally appear in open meadows at high altitudes. Black bears are om...

tiger

tiger

Big cat,big insect,mountain king,Yin beast

Features:One of the largest living cats in the world

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coatimundi

coatimundi

coati,quash

Features:Their long, ringed tails are almost as long as their bodies

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Wolverine

Wolverine

Gulo gulo,carcajou , quickhatch

Features:It’s the largest land-dwelling mustelid, often called a “skunk bear”

When it comes to fierce and resilient animals, the wolverine tops the list. This powerful, solitary mammal is a true marvel of nature. Known for its strength and tenacity, the wolverine (Gulo gulo) is one of the most fascinating creatures in the wild. Let’s dive into everything you need to know abo...

Liger

Liger

Features:is the offspring of a male lion (Panthera leo) and a female tiger (Panthera tigris),resulting from the mating of a male lion and a female tiger.

Ligers are one of the most fascinating hybrid animals, combining the majesty of a lion and the strength of a tiger. These hybrid creatures have captivated animal lovers and researchers for years. In this comprehensive guide, we will dive deep into the world of ligers, from their characteristics and...

Jackal

Jackal

Features:They have long, slender bodies, sharp ears, and bushy tails

Jackals, though often overlooked in the animal kingdom, are highly adaptable and play a critical role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. Known for their scavenging abilities and cunning hunting skills, jackals are fascinating creatures that are found across Africa, Asia, and parts of the Midd...

jaguar

jaguar

Panthera onca

Features:large, muscular cats

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woolly mammoth

woolly mammoth

Features:

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Wild Dogs

Wild Dogs

Features:They use their calls to locate and cooperate in groups to hunt medium-sized ungulates.

Mysterious and dangerous natural predatorWild dogs are a type of wild canine found around the world, with high adaptability, complex social structure and amazing survival ability. They are one of the top predators in nature and can survive in a variety of environments, from tropical grasslands to ar...

caiman

caiman

American alligator, spectacled crocodile

Features:Top predator, fierce temperament

Caiman: A stealthy predator in tropical watersCaiman is a crocodile-like reptile that lives in freshwater rivers, lakes and wetlands in Central and South America. It is known for its powerful hunting ability and ability to adapt to the environment. As a member of the crocodile family, caiman not onl...

Gulo gulo

Gulo gulo

Wolverine

Features:One of the most powerful predators

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Prionailurus viverrinus

Prionailurus viverrinus

Fishing Cat, Chat Pêcheur,Gato Pescador,Felis viverrina Bennett

Features:It likes to be active at night and is good at catching fish in the water, hence its name.

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