Portal:Mammals

The Mammals portal A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (/məˈmeɪli.ə/). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones. These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds, from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,400 extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 27 orders. The largest orders of mammals, by number of species, are the rodents, bats, and Eulipotyphla (including hedgehogs, moles and shrews). The next three are the primates (including humans, monkeys and lemurs), the even-toed ungulates (including pigs, camels, and whales), and the Carnivora (including cats, dogs, and seals). Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida; this clade, together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes the larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as "pelycosaurs." The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Guadalupian. Mammals originated from cynodonts, an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Paleogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, and have been the dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present. The basic mammalian body type is quadrupedal, with most mammals using four limbs for terrestrial locomotion; but in some, the limbs are adapted for life at sea, in the air, in trees or underground. The bipeds have adapted to move using only the two lower limbs, while the rear limbs of cetaceans and the sea cows are mere internal vestiges. Mammals range in size from the 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 metres (98 ft) blue whale—possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale. All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes, which lay eggs. The most species-rich group is the viviparous placental mammals, so named for the temporary organ (placenta) used by offspring to draw nutrition from the mother during gestation. Most mammals are intelligent, with some possessing large brains, self-awareness, and tool use. Mammals can communicate and vocalize in several ways, including the production of ultrasound, scent marking, alarm signals, singing, echolocation; and, in the case of humans, complex language. Mammals can organize themselves into fission–fusion societies, harems, and hierarchies—but can also be solitary and territorial. Most mammals are polygynous, but some can be monogamous or polyandrous. Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the Neolithic Revolution, and resulted in farming replacing hunting and gathering as the primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first civilizations. Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food (meat and dairy products), fur, and leather. Mammals are also hunted and raced for sport, kept as pets and working animals of various types, and are used as model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in art since Paleolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and extinction of many mammals is primarily driven by human poaching and habitat destruction, primarily deforestation. (Full article...) Selected article The cougar (Puma concolor), also puma, mountain lion, or panther, is a mammal of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. This large, solitary cat has the greatest range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes of South America. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in every major New World habitat type. It is the second heaviest cat in the New World, after the jaguar, and the fourth heaviest in the world, after the tiger, lion, and jaguar, although it is most closely related to smaller felines. A capable stalk-and-ambush predator, the cougar pursues a wide variety of prey. Primary food sources include ungulates such as deer and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses, and sheep, particularly in the northern part of its range, but it hunts species as small as insects and rodents. It prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but it can live in open areas. Cougars are known to kill at least one deer sized animal per week, more in warmer climates; unlike bears, they do not like spoiled meat. The cougar is territorial and persists at low population densities. Individual territory sizes depend on terrain, vegetation, and abundance of prey. While it is a large predator, it is not always the dominant species in its range, as when it competes for prey with animals such as the gray wolf, black bear, and the grizzly bear. It is a reclusive cat and usually avoids people. Attacks on humans remain rare, despite a recent increase in frequency. Did you know? ...that one burrow of the eastern chipmunk (pictured) was found to contain 390 acorns? .. that the Hare Indian dog, now extinct, was not known to bark, but puppies learned to imitate the barking of other dogs when the breed was introduced to Europe? ... that the rodents Thomasomys ucucha from Ecuador and Oxymycterus hucucha from Bolivia were both named after the local Quechua word for "mouse"? ...that the incisors of blesmols are visible even when their mouths are closed? ... that the pebble-mound mice of northern Australia construct mounds of stones around their burrows up to 10 m2 in area? ... that the stationmaster of the Kinokawa train station in Kinokawa, Japan was a cat named Tama? Related portals Selected images Emperor Tamarin Photo credit: Mila Zinkova The Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a tamarin native to the Amazon Basin and neighboring parts of South America. It was allegedly named for its similarity to William II, the last German Emperor. The name was first intended as a joke, but has become the official scientific name. Brown Spider Monkey Photo credit: Tom Friedel The Brown Spider Monkey is a critically endangered New World monkey native to Colombia and Venezuela. The blue eyes on this individual are uncommon among the species. African bush elephant Photograph: Muhammad Mahdi Karim A female African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. These herbivorous mammals are the largest land animals on Earth; males average 3.3 metres (11 ft) tall at the shoulders and 5.5 tonnes (12,000 lb) in weight, whereas females average 2.8 metres (9.2 ft) in height and 3.7 tonnes (8,200 lb) in weight. Owing to their great size, adult African bush elephants have no natural predators except for humans. Calves, however, are preyed on by lions and crocodiles. Tasmanian Pademelon Photo: JJ Harrison The Tasmanian Pademelon is the only species of pademelon endemic to Tasmania. Pademelons are the smallest of the macropods, which also includes kangaroos and wallabies. Males reach around 12 kg (26 lb) in weight, 1–1.2 m (3.3–3.9 ft) in height, and are considerably larger than the females, which average 3.9 kg (8.6 lb). Yellow-bellied marmot Photograph: David Iliff The yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) is a ground squirrel in the marmot genus. Found in the western United States and southwestern Canada, including the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, these marmots live in colonies of about ten to twenty individuals, typically located in open areas at least 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above sea level. Elephant portrait Photograph: Muhammad Mahdi Karim A portrait of an African elephant, highlighting its trunk. The trunk, which contains some 150,000 muscle fascicles, is a fusion of the nose and upper lip with a unique nerve running along both sides. An elephant can use its trunk for power functions, such as lifting up to 350 kg (770 lb), or more delicate functions, such as wiping its eye. Social grooming Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim Two olive baboons (Papio anubis) engaged in social grooming, an activity that social animals (including humans) engage in to clean or maintain one another's body or appearance. Grooming also reinforces social structures, family links, and builds relationships. It has been best studied among primates, but insects, birds, fish, and other mammals are known to engage in it as well. Goat kid Photo credit: Fir0002 A 2-month old domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) kid in a field of capeweed. Goats are one of the oldest domesticated species. For thousands of years, goats have been used for their milk, meat, hair, and skins over much of the world. Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, intact males as bucks or billies; their offspring are kids. Llama Photograph credit: Kallerna The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the pre-Columbian era. A full-grown llama can reach a height of 1.7 to 1.8 metres (5 ft 7 in to 5 ft 11 in) at the top of the head, and can weigh between 130 and 200 kilograms (290 and 440 lb). At birth, a baby llama (known as a cria) can weigh between 9 and 14 kilograms (20 and 31 lb). Llamas typically live for 15 to 25 years, with some individuals surviving 30 years or more. This photograph shows a dam (female llama) and her cria at Laguna Colorada in Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, Bolivia. Short-beaked Echidna Photo credit: Fir0002 The Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), also known as the Spiny Anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna. The species is found throughout Australia, where it is the most widespread native mammal, and in coastal and highland regions of southwestern New Guinea. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Photo: Kallerna The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a medium-sized retriever dog breed that originated in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is named for its ability to lure waterfowl within gunshot range, called "tolling". It is particularly suited for retrieving in cold water climates because of its water-repellent double coat. Cat Photo credit: Chmouel Boudjnah The cat is a small feline carnivorous mammal that has been domesticated for several millennia. A male cat is usually called a tom cat, a female cat is called a queen. A young cat is called a kitten (as are baby rats, rabbits, hedgehogs and squirrels). Bennett's Wallaby Photo: JJ Harrison A juvenile Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus), a subspecies of the Red-necked Wallaby, on Maria Island, east of Tasmania. Red-necked Wallabies can be found in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia. They can weigh 13.8 to 18.6 kg (30 to 41 lb) and attain a head–body length of 90 cm (35 in), with the island version slightly smaller. Ambondro mahabo Photo: André R. Wyss The jaw of Ambondro mahabo, seen in lingual view (from the side of the tongue). The scale bar is 1 mm (0.039 in) long. This mammal species is known only from this fragmentary lower jaw with three teeth, interpreted as the last premolar and the first two molars. It is the oldest known mammal with putatively tribosphenic teeth. Joey Photo credit: Geoff Shaw, University of Melbourne, Australia A newborn joey (baby kangaroo) in its mother's pouch. Kangaroo babies are born at a very early stage of development after a gestation of 31-36 days. At this stage, only the forelimbs are somewhat developed, to allow the newborn to climb to the pouch and attach to a teat. It will not re-emerge for several months, during which time it develops fully. Scientific classification Kingdom→ Animalia   Phylum→ Chordata   Subphylum→ Vertebrata   Superclass→ Tetrapoda   (unranked)→ Amniota   Class→ Mammalia Subclasses and Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria * Member of a haplogroup and not any of its subclades. † Taxon is extinct. Topics Subcategories Category puzzle Select [►] to view subcategories Mammals Mammals by adaptation Mammals by classification Mammals by year of formal description Mammals by location Extinct mammals Individual mammals Lists of mammals Mammal anatomy Mammal behavior Mammal common names Mammal conservation Mammal ecology Evolution of mammals Mammal genetics Mammal health Mammalian hormones Mammals and humans Mammal images Mammal redirects Milk Mammal pest control Reproduction in mammals Songs about mammals Mammal taxa Ungulates Mammal stubs Quality content Featured articles Alcathoe bat Alpine ibex Ambondro mahabo Ambulocetus Baleen whale Bat Beaver Bharattherium Blue whale Bluebuck Bobcat Camas pocket gopher Canada lynx Catopsbaatar Columbian mammoth Cougar Cryptoprocta spelea Dermotherium Dire wolf Durrell's vontsira Elephant Elk Escalera's bat European hare Evolution of lemurs Ferugliotheriidae Ferugliotherium Flocke Fossa (animal) Giant anteater Giant eland Giant otter Giraffe Golden jackal Hartebeest Hippopotamus Homo antecessor Horseshoe bat Humpback whale Impala Jaguar Javan rhinoceros Knut (polar bear) Koala Lavanify Lion Livyatan Marcus Ward Lyon Jr. Meerkat Manor Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins Megabat Miniopterus aelleni Miniopterus griveaudi North Ronaldsay sheep Orca Paraceratherium Pennatomys Pinniped Pipistrellus raceyi Platypus Plesiorycteropus Polar bear Primate Pygmy hippopotamus Quagga Raccoon Red panda Right whale Rodent Sea mink Sea otter Sheep Short-beaked echidna Smilodon South Asian river dolphin Springbok Steller's sea cow Sumatran rhinoceros Tammar wallaby Tasmanian devil Taxonomy of lemurs Thylacine Tiger Transandinomys Triaenops menamena Wolf Woolly mammoth Zebra Featured lists List of cetaceans List of mammals of Florida List of afrosoricids List of artiodactyls List of bovids List of canids List of carnivorans List of cercopithecoids List of cervids List of cingulates List of crocidurines List of dasyuromorphs List of didelphimorphs List of diprotodonts List of erinaceids List of eulipotyphlans List of felids List of fruit bats List of herpestids List of hipposiderids List of hominoids List of lagomorphs List of leporids List of lorisoids List of macropodiformes List of macroscelids List of mammals of Korea List of mephitids List of miniopterids List of molossids List of mustelids List of myosoricines List of ochotonids List of peramelemorphs List of perissodactyls List of phalangeriformes List of pilosans List of pinnipeds List of platyrrhines List of primates List of procyonids List of rhinolophids List of scandentians List of soricines List of suines List of talpids List of tarsiiformes List of ursids List of viverrids Featured topics Lagomorphs Mesozoic mammals of Madagascar Oryzomys Primates Transandinomys Voalavo Featured pictures File:07. Camel Profile, near Silverton, NSW, 07.07.2007.jpg File:094 Wild female Alpine Ibex at Creux du Van Photo by Giles Laurent.jpg File:2010-kodiak-bear-1.jpg File:2012-bb-jackal-1.jpg File:Aepyceros melampus petersi female 8014.jpg File:African Bush Elephant.jpg File:African elephant warning raised trunk.jpg File:Albino Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus.jpg File:Antarctic Sound-2016-Brown Bluff–Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) 04.jpg File:Antarctic Sound-2016-Brown Bluff–Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) 05.jpg File:Antidorcas marsupialis 2.jpg File:Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) female 3 crop.jpg File:Bison skull pile edit.jpg File:Blue Wildebeest, Ngorongoro.jpg File:Bos grunniens at Letdar on Annapurna Circuit.jpg File:Bos grunniens at Yundrok Yumtso Lake.jpg File:BrownSpiderMonkey (edit2).jpg File:CH cow 2.jpg File:California sea lion in La Jolla (70568).jpg File:Cattle tyrant (Machetornis rixosa) on Capybara.jpg File:Cervus canadensis nannodes at Tomales Point.jpg File:Charolais cattle, Sierra Nevada, Venezuela.jpg File:Cheetahs on the Edge (Director's Cut).ogv File:Chipmunk with stuffed cheeks in Prospect Park (05980).jpg File:Choloepus hoffmanni (Puerto Viejo, CR) crop.jpg File:Common seal (Phoca vitulina) 2.jpg File:Cow giving birth, in Laos (step by step).jpg File:Cynomys ludovicianus GNP 21.jpg File:Drymoreomys albimaculatus 002.jpg File:Endangered arctic - starving polar bear.jpg File:Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) female 1.jpg File:European bison (Bison bonasus) male Białowieza.jpg File:Felis silvestris silvestris.jpg File:Female impala.jpg File:Fighting impalas edit2.jpg File:Five-striped palm squirrel (Funambulus pennantii).jpg File:Galerella sanguinea Zoo Praha 2011-2.jpg File:Gemsbok (Oryx gazella) male.jpg File:Giraffa camelopardalis head (Profil).jpg File:Giraffe Mikumi National Park.jpg File:Haeckel Chiroptera.jpg File:Hippo pod edit.jpg File:Horse anatomy.svg File:Humpbackwhale singing.webm File:Impala mutualim with birds wide.jpg File:Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) 4.jpg File:Jaguar (Panthera onca palustris) male Three Brothers River 2.jpg File:Koala climbing tree.jpg File:Lama glama Laguna Colorada 2.jpg File:Lion (Panthera leo) male 6y.jpg File:LutraCanadensis fullres.jpg File:MC Drei-Finger-Faultier.jpg File:Macrocranion tupaiodon 01.jpg File:Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus Bruny.jpg File:Marmota monax UL 04.jpg File:Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg File:Mud Cow Racing - Pacu Jawi - West Sumatra, Indonesia.jpg File:Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) male.jpg File:Oryctolagus cuniculus Tasmania 2.jpg File:Panthera tigris tigris Tidoba 20150306.jpg File:Perameles gunni.jpg File:Plains Zebra Equus quagga.jpg File:Red Panda (24986761703).jpg File:Red Panda.JPG File:Red-tailed squirrel (Sciurus granatensis chrysuros) male Caldas.jpg File:Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus koba).jpg File:Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) 2.jpg File:Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) adult male.jpg File:Sea otter nursing02.jpg File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Ursa Major.jpg File:Sonoma chipmunk at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.jpg File:South-western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis occidentalis) female.jpg File:Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta).jpg File:The Monarch of the Glen, Edwin Landseer, 1851.png File:Thylogale billardierii.jpg File:Topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) female.jpg File:Tragelaphus strepsiceros ♂ (head).jpg File:Ugandan kobs (Kobus kob thomasi) female and calf.jpg File:Vombatus ursinus -Maria Island National Park.jpg File:Xerus inauris.jpg File:Zebra portrait.jpg Good articles Acrophyseter Addax African wild dog Alpine pika Amami rabbit Andrewsarchus Animal echolocation Anoplotherium Apeomyoides Ardipithecus ramidus Argentodites Arktocara Asian elephant Aurochs Australopithecus deyiremeda Australopithecus garhi Australopithecus sediba Azilestes Banteng Bare-tailed woolly opossum Bat virome Bay duiker Bear Beaver drop Big brown bat Billy (pygmy hippo) Binky (polar bear) Black-footed cat Black-tailed jackrabbit Black wildebeest Blackbuck Blue duiker Blue wildebeest Bohor reedbuck Boreray sheep Bottlenose dolphin Bovidae Bramble Cay melomys Brown bear Brygmophyseter California sea lion Campbell's dwarf hamster Canidae Capybara Castorocauda Cat Cattle Cheetah Chororapithecus Christmas Island flying fox Cinnamon red bat Clouded leopard Common eland Common vampire bat Coyote Pigs in culture Dacrytherium Dark long-tongued bat Dibatag Dichodon (mammal) Dimetrodon Diplobune Diprotodon Doedicurus Domestic rabbit Domestication of the sheep Dromedary Dryopithecus Dugong Dusky dolphin Dwarf dog-faced bat Dwarf sperm whale Egyptian fruit bat Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus Enhydriodon Equus (genus) Ethiopian hare Ethiopian highland hare European polecat Evolution of cetaceans False killer whale Ferret-legging Fin whale Fisher (animal) Fishing cat Flea Forrest's pika Four-horned antelope Fraternal fruit-eating bat Galulatherium Geoffroy's spider monkey Giant golden-crowned flying fox Giant panda Gigantopithecus Glover's pika Glyptodon Glyptotherium Goat Great flying fox Grévy's zebra Guano Hammer-headed bat Herdwick Herto Man Heuglin's gazelle Hipposideros besaoka Homo rudolfensis Homo ergaster Homo habilis Homo heidelbergensis Honduran white bat Horse Human Idaho pocket gopher Indian flying fox Indian rhinoceros Inyo shrew Isalo serotine Jacob sheep Jaguarundi Janjucetus Japanese serow Josephoartigasia Jungle cat Kenyanthropus Kitti's hog-nosed bat Klipspringer Kogia pusilla LACM 149371 Lagrivea Laomaki Large Black Least weasel Leopard Lesser kudu Little brown bat Malagasy hippopotamus Mammal Manavi long-fingered bat Marine mammal Marsh shrew Meerkat Megaherbivore Mesozoic mammals of Madagascar Microgale macpheei Miniopterus brachytragos Miniopterus mahafaliensis Miniopterus tao Miniopterus zapfei Mixtotherium Monk seal Mountain nyala Moupin pika Muskrat Nakalipithecus Narwhal Natal red rock hare Nilgai Nyala Ocelot Ocepeia Okapi Orcinus citoniensis Oribi Ortotherium Palaeotherium Panthera onca mesembrina Paranthropus Paranthropus aethiopicus Paranthropus boisei Paranthropus robustus Paratheria (mammals) Pig Pilot whale Plains zebra Porpoise Pteropus Pubal Pudu Pygmy three-toed sloth Quoll Rabbit Red fox Reigomys Rhinogradentia Rice's whale River dolphin Royal antelope Saadanius Sei whale Serval Setirostris Shetland sheep Sirenia Sitatunga Six-banded armadillo Smith's red rock hare Snow leopard Spectral bat Spotted hyena Stellaluna Stotting Sun bear Swift fox Tamaraw Thalassocnus Tiger quoll Trapalcotherium Triaenops goodmani Tricolored bat Tupaia miocenica Turkestan red pika UA 8699 Veratalpa Vietnam mouse-deer Walrus Waterbuck Whale White-lipped peccary Wildebeest William Windsor (goat) Winter white dwarf hamster Xiphodon Yarkand hare Yellow-bellied marmot Yunnan hare Zygophyseter Pallas's cat Sand cat Asiatic cheetah Scimitar oryx WikiProjects Biology Tree of Life Plants Arthropods Cephalopods Gastropods Fishes Amphibians and Reptiles Birds Mammals WikiProject Mammals Bats task force WikiProject Dogs WikiProject Dog breeds WikiProject Rodents WikiProject Cats WikiProject Equine WikiProject Horse breeds WikiProject Cetaceans WikiProject Primates WikiProject Monotremes and Marsupials Viruses A complete list of scientific WikiProjects can be found here. See also Wikispecies, a Wikimedia project dedicated to classification of biological species. Things to do Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Article requests : Missing mammal species articles – Create a new article Cleanup : Cleanup listing for WikiProject Mammals – Functional list of mammal articles that need improvements Photo : Mammal articles without images – Upload and/or add images to articles Stubs : Expand Stub-Class mammal articles External media Wilson & Reeders Mammal Species of the World – from Bucknell University Mammal Species of the World – from National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Associated Wikimedia The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject: Commons Free media repository Wikibooks Free textbooks and manuals Wikidata Free knowledge base Wikinews Free-content news Wikiquote Collection of quotations Wikisource Free-content library Wikispecies Directory of species Wikiversity Free learning tools Wiktionary Dictionary and thesaurus Discover Wikipedia using portals List of all portals The arts portal Biography portal Current events portal Geography portal History portal Mathematics portal Science portal Society portal Technology portal Random portal WikiProject Portals