The Mammals
Mammalogy is the study of mammals.
NAU's Department of Biological Sciences offers a course in mammalogy. Contact
the Biology Department's Advisement Center for details 520-523-9304.
Mammal Species of the World
Armadillo Online!
Mammal Faculty: Dr. Con Slobodchikoff
(520-523- 7231) conducts researh with prairie dogs.
Dr.Sylvester Allred
(520-523-7214) conducts research on tree squirrels. Dr. Tad Thimer conducts
research on javelinas (520-523-7237) Contact them if mammal research is of
interest to you.
Phylum Chordata
Subphlum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Mammalia (figs. 31-1 --> 31 - 27)
Mammals, with their highly developed nervous system and numerous ingenious
adaptations, occupy almost every environment on earth that supports life. The
Class Mammalia is overall the most biologically differentiated group in the
animal kingdom.
Open the link below for an overview of mammalian phylogeny.
The Phylogeny of
Mammals
The following are characteristics of mammals.
- hair present in some form
- pelage ("mammalian body ware")
- underhair
- guard hair
- vibrissae
- quills
- "mammalian head ware"
- horns (true)
- sheep/cattle
- core of bone form
skull; covered with
sheath
- not shed
- not branched
- males/females
- antlers
- deer family
- bone
- velvet
- shed
- branched
- males
- rhino horn
- hairs cemented
together
- not shed
- not branched
- males/females
- glands in skin
- sweat
- eccrine
- apocrine
- scent
Browse these pages to find out more about scent in mammals!
The Wonderful
Skunk and Opossum Page)
- sebaceous
- mammary
- diphyodont & heterodont vs
homodont teeth of reps
- nutrition
- herbivores
- browers
The Koala Page
Giant Panda
- grazers
- gnawers
- coprophagy
- carnivores
- omnivores
- external ears (pinnae)
- endothermic/homeothermic
- circulatory system
- 4-chambered heart
- nonnucleated biconcave
RBCs
- respiratory system
(lungs/aveloi)
muscular diaphragm
- excretory system
(kidneys)
Dromedary
Camel
- nervous system
- cloaca (only monotremes)
(fig. 31-1)
The Wild World of
Platypi
- reproductive system
- dioecious
- males heterogametic
- reproductive cycles
- estrous
- monestrous
- polyestrous
- menstrual cycle
(menstruation)
- internal fertilization
- reproductive patterns
- placental
- uterus
-missing
monotremes (pg. 612)
-rudimentary
marsupials
(fig. 31-20)
- eggs
(see monotremes)
- females nourish young
with milk from mammary
glands
- migration
Open the sites below to learn more about the
migration of whales and caribou.
Whaletimes
Killer
Whale
Caribou
- flight
Browse these sites to learn about the flying mammals: Bats
Bats
Bat-Conservation
International
Bat echolocation
Building a bat
house
Animal
Bytes: Vampire Bats
- gliding
- echolocation
- territory
- home range
- populations
- hibernation
The sites below will provide you with information on the two hiberating
mammals.
Brown Bears
Polar Bears
- extinctions
The Tiger Information Center
Human evolution (pp. 615 - 619)
Primates are of great interest to humans because of their close phylogenetic
relationship. Find out more about primates, particularly the apes, at the sites
below.
Primate
Gallery
Primate of the
Week
Chimpanzee
Gorilla
The
Orangutan
Zoo
Once you have completed the lesson, you should go to Assignment 31-1.
E-mail Sylvester Allred at
Syl.Allred@nau.edu
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Northern Arizona University
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