15.06.2019

Representatives of the order have a relatively short intestine. Characteristics, classification, habitat, importance and protection of mammals. Afrosoricides and insectivores

Mammals are the most highly organized class of vertebrates. They are characterized by a highly developed nervous system (due to an increase in the volume of the cerebral hemispheres and the formation of the cortex); relatively constant body temperature; four-chambered heart; the presence of a diaphragm - a muscular septum separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities; development of the young in the mother's body and feeding with milk (see Fig. 85). The body of mammals is often covered with fur. The mammary glands appear as modified sweat glands. The teeth of mammals are unique. They are differentiated, their number, shape and function vary significantly among different groups and serve as a systematic feature.

The body is divided into head, neck and torso. Many have a tail. Animals have the most perfect skeleton, the basis of which is the spinal column. It is divided into 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 6 lumbar, 3–4 sacral fused and caudal vertebrae, the number of the latter varies. Mammals have well-developed senses: smell, touch, vision, hearing. There is an auricle. The eyes are protected by two eyelids with eyelashes.

With the exception of oviparous mammals, all mammals bear their young in uterus- a special muscular organ. The cubs are born alive and are fed milk. The offspring of mammals are in greater need of further care than other animals.

All of these characteristics allowed mammals to gain a dominant position in the animal world. They are found all over the globe.

The appearance of mammals is very diverse and is determined by their habitat: aquatic animals have a streamlined body shape, flippers or fins; land dwellers have well-developed limbs and a dense body. In the inhabitants of the air, the front pair of limbs are transformed into wings. A highly developed nervous system allows mammals to better adapt to environmental conditions and promotes the development of numerous conditioned reflexes.

The class of mammals is divided into three subclasses: oviparous, marsupials and placentals.

1. Oviparous, or primal beasts. These animals are the most primitive mammals. Unlike other representatives of this class, they lay eggs, but feed their young with milk (Fig. 90). They have preserved the cloaca - a part of the intestine into which three systems open - digestive, excretory and reproductive. Therefore they are also called monotreme. In other animals these systems are separated. Oviparous species are found only in Australia. These include only four species: echidnas (three species) and the platypus.

2. Marsupials more highly organized, but they are also characterized by primitive features (see Fig. 90). They give birth to live, but underdeveloped young, practically embryos. These tiny cubs crawl into a pouch on the mother's belly, where, feeding on her milk, they complete their development.

Rice. 90. Mammals: oviparous: 1 – echidna; 2 – platypus; marsupials: 3 – opossum; 4 – koala; 5 – dwarf marsupial squirrel; 6 – kangaroo; 7 – marsupial wolf

Australia is home to kangaroos, marsupial mice, squirrels, anteaters (nambats), marsupial bears(koala), badgers (wombats). The most primitive marsupials live in Central and South America. This is an opossum, a marsupial wolf.

3. Placental animals have a well developed placenta- an organ attached to the wall of the uterus and performs the function of exchanging nutrients and oxygen between the mother’s body and the embryo.

Placental mammals are divided into 16 orders. These include Insectivores, Chiroptera, Rodents, Lagomorphs, Carnivores, Pinnipeds, Cetaceans, Ungulates, Proboscideans, and Primates.

Insectivores mammals, which include moles, shrews, hedgehogs, etc., are considered the most primitive among placentals (Fig. 91). These are quite small animals. The number of teeth they have is from 26 to 44, the teeth are undifferentiated.

Chiroptera- the only flying animals among animals. They are mainly crepuscular and nocturnal animals that feed on insects. These include fruit bats, bats, noctule bats, and vampires. Vampires are bloodsuckers; they feed on the blood of other animals. The bats have echolocation. Although their eyesight is poor, due to their well-developed hearing, they catch the echo of their own squeak reflected from objects.

Rodents– the most numerous order among mammals (about 40% of all animal species). These are rats, mice, squirrels, gophers, marmots, beavers, hamsters and many others (see Fig. 91). A characteristic feature of rodents is their well-developed incisors. They have no roots, grow throughout their lives, wear down, and have no fangs. All rodents are herbivores.

Rice. 91. Mammals: insectivores: 1 – shrew; 2 – mole; 3 – tupaya; rodents: 4 – jerboa, 5 – marmot, 6 – nutria; lagomorphs: 7 – brown hare, 8 – chinchilla

Close to rodents squad lagomorphs(see Fig. 91). They have a similar tooth structure and also eat plant matter. These include hares and rabbits.

To the squad predatory belongs to more than 240 species of animals (Fig. 92). Their incisors are poorly developed, but they have powerful fangs and carnassial teeth, which are used for tearing animal flesh. Predators feed on animal and mixed food. The order is divided into several families: canids (dog, wolf, fox), bears (polar bear, Brown bear), felids (cat, tiger, lynx, lion, cheetah, panther), mustelids (marten, mink, sable, ferret), etc. Some predators are characterized by hibernation (bears).

Pinnipeds They are also predatory animals. They have adapted to life in water and have specific features: the body is streamlined, the limbs are turned into flippers. The teeth are poorly developed, with the exception of the fangs, so they only grab food and swallow it without chewing. They are excellent swimmers and divers. They feed mainly on fish. They breed on land, along seashores or on ice floes. The order includes seals, walruses, fur seals, sea lions, etc. (see Fig. 92).

Rice. 92. Mammals: carnivores: 1 – sable; 2 – jackal; 3 – lynx; 4 – black bear; pinnipeds: 5 – harp seal; 6 – walrus; ungulates: 7 – horse; 8 – hippopotamus; 9 - reindeer; primates: 10 – marmoset; 11 – gorilla; 12 – baboon

To the squad cetaceans also include inhabitants of the waters, but, unlike pinnipeds, they never go onto land and give birth to their young in the water. Their limbs have turned into fins, and their body shape resembles fish. These animals mastered the water for the second time, and in connection with this they acquired many features characteristic of aquatic inhabitants. However, they retained the main features of the class. They breathe atmospheric oxygen through their lungs. Cetaceans include whales and dolphins. The blue whale is the largest of all modern animals (length 30 m, weight up to 150 tons).

Ungulates are divided into two orders: equids and artiodactyls.

1. TO equid include horses, tapirs, rhinoceroses, zebras, donkeys. Their hooves are modified middle toes, with the remaining toes reduced to varying degrees in different species. Ungulates have well-developed molars, as they feed on plant foods, chewing and grinding them.

2. U artiodactyls the third and fourth toes are well developed, transformed into hooves, which bear the entire weight of the body. These are giraffes, deer, cows, goats, sheep. Many of them are ruminants and have a complex stomach.

To the squad proboscidea belong to the largest of land animals - elephants. They live only in Africa and Asia. The trunk is an elongated nose fused with the upper lip. Elephants do not have tusks, but their powerful incisors have turned into tusks. In addition, they have well-developed molars that grind plant foods. Elephants change these teeth 6 times during their life. Elephants are very voracious. One elephant can eat up to 200 kg of hay per day.

Primates combine up to 190 species (see Fig. 92). All representatives are characterized by a five-fingered limb, grasping hands, and nails instead of claws. The eyes are directed forward (primates have developed binocular vision). These are inhabitants of tropical and sub tropical forests, leading both arboreal and terrestrial lifestyles. They feed on plant and animal foods. The dental apparatus is more complete and differentiated into incisors, canines, and molars.

There are two groups: prosimians and monkeys.

1. TO prosimians include lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers.

2. Monkeys are divided into broad-nosed(marmosets, howler monkeys, koatas) and narrow-nosed(macaques, monkeys, baboons, hamadryas). To the group higher narrow-nosed Great apes include gibbon, chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan. Humans also belong to the primates.

BASICS OF ECOLOGY

The body is divided into head, neck and torso. Many have a tail. Animals have the most perfect skeleton, the basis of which is the spinal column. It is divided into 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 6 lumbar, 3-4 fused sacral and caudal vertebrae, the number of the latter varies. Mammals have well-developed senses: smell, touch, vision, hearing. There is an auricle. The eyes are protected by two eyelids with eyelashes.

All of these characteristics allowed mammals to gain a dominant position in the animal world. They are found all over the globe.

The class of mammals is divided into three subclasses: oviparous, marsupials and placentals.

Rice. 90. Mammals: oviparous: 1 - echidna; 2 - platypus; marsupials: 3 - opossum; 4 - koala; 5 - dwarf marsupial squirrel; 6 - kangaroo; 7 - marsupial wolf

Australia is home to kangaroos, marsupial mice, squirrels, anteaters (nambats), marsupial bears (koalas), and badgers (wombats). The most primitive marsupials live in Central and South America. This is an opossum, a marsupial wolf.

Placental mammals are divided into 16 orders. These include Insectivores, Chiroptera, Rodents, Lagomorphs, Carnivores, Pinnipeds, Cetaceans, Ungulates, Proboscideans, and Primates.

Chiroptera- the only flying animals among animals. They are mainly crepuscular and nocturnal animals that feed on insects. These include fruit bats, bats, noctule bats, and vampires. Vampires are bloodsuckers; they feed on the blood of other animals. Bats have echolocation. Although their eyesight is poor, due to their well-developed hearing, they catch the echo of their own squeak reflected from objects.

Rodents- the most numerous order among mammals (about 40% of all animal species). These are rats, mice, squirrels, gophers, marmots, beavers, hamsters and many others (see Fig. 91). A characteristic feature of rodents is their well-developed incisors. They have no roots, grow throughout their lives, wear down, and have no fangs. All rodents are herbivores.

Rice. 91. Mammals: insectivores: 1 - shrew; 2 - mole; 3 - tupaya; rodents: 4 - jerboa, 5 - marmot, 6 - nutria; lagomorphs: 7 - brown hare, 8 - chinchilla

Close to rodents squad lagomorphs(see Fig. 91). They have a similar tooth structure and also eat plant matter. These include hares and rabbits.

To the squad predatory belongs to more than 240 species of animals (Fig. 92). Their incisors are poorly developed, but they have powerful fangs and carnassial teeth, which are used for tearing animal flesh. Predators feed on animal and mixed food. The order is divided into several families: canids (dog, wolf, fox), bears (polar bear, brown bear), felines (cat, tiger, lynx, lion, cheetah, panther), mustelids (marten, mink, sable, ferret) and etc. Some predators are characterized by hibernation (bears).

Rice. 92. Mammals: carnivores: 1 - sable; 2 - jackal; 3 - lynx; 4 - black bear; pinnipeds: 5 - harp seal; 6 - walrus; ungulates: 7 - horse; 8 - hippopotamus; 9 - reindeer; primates: 10 - marmoset; 11 - gorilla; 12 - baboon

Ungulates are divided into two orders: equids and artiodactyls.

MAMMALS
animals (Mammalia), a class of vertebrates, the most famous group of animals, including more than 4,600 species of the world's fauna. It includes cats, dogs, cows, elephants, mice, whales, people, etc. In the course of evolution, mammals have carried out the broadest adaptive radiation, i.e. adapted to a wide variety of ecological niches. They inhabit polar ice, forests of temperate and tropical latitudes, steppes, savannas, deserts and reservoirs. With a few exceptions (such as anteaters), their jaws are armed with teeth, and mammals can feed on meat, plants, invertebrates, and even blood. The animals range in size from the tiny pig-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai) with a length of only approx. 29 mm and weighing 1.7 g, to the largest animal known to science - the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), reaching a length of approx. 30 m with a mass of 190 tons. Only two fossil brontosaurus-like dinosaurs could compete with it. The length of one of them - Seismosaurus - is at least 40 m from nose to tip of tail, but it weighed, according to some experts, approx. 55 t, i.e. three times smaller than the blue whale. The second dinosaur, Ultrasaurus, is known from a single pelvic bone, but it is believed to have been both longer and heavier than the blue whale. However, until this is confirmed by additional fossil remains, the blue whale remains the champion of all animals that have ever inhabited the Earth. All mammals have a number of characteristic features of their class. The name of the class Mammalia comes from Lat. mamma - female breast, and is associated with the presence of glands in all animals that secrete milk. This term was first used in 1758 by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his book The System of Nature. However, the scientific definition of mammals as a separate group was given even earlier (1693) by the English botanist and zoologist J. Ray in his work Methodological Review of the Origin of Four-Legged Animals and Snakes, and the everyday view of animals as a group of closely related creatures developed at the dawn of human history.
Origin. The basic structure of modern mammals was inherited by them from their reptilian ancestors, the so-called. synapsids, or animal-like lizards. The age of their oldest known remains is approximately 315 million years, which corresponds to the Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) period. It is believed that synapsids appeared soon after the appearance of the very first reptiles (anapsids), in the Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) period, i.e. OK. 340 million years ago, and became extinct approx. 165 million years ago, in the middle of the Jurassic period. The name "synapsids" refers to the presence of a pair of holes in the skull, one on each side behind the eye socket. It is believed that they made it possible to increase the mass of the jaw muscles, and therefore their power, compared to animals without such temporal openings (anapsids). Synapsids (class Synapsida) are divided into two orders - pelycosaurs (Pelycosauria) and therapsids (Therapsida). The immediate ancestors of mammals were one of the suborders of therapsids - small predatory reptiles cynodontia (Cynodontia). Their various families and genera combined in one way or another the characteristics of both reptiles and mammals. It is assumed that at least the most evolutionarily advanced representatives of cynodonts had such animal characteristics as the presence of wool, warm-bloodedness and the production of milk to feed their young. However, paleontologists do not base their theories on assumptions that are not confirmed by facts, in particular by fossilized bones and teeth, which mainly remain from extinct vertebrates. Therefore, to distinguish reptiles from mammals, they use several key skeletal features, namely the structure of the jaws, the structure of the jaw joint (i.e., the type of attachment of the lower jaw to the skull) and the skeletal system of the middle ear. In mammals, each branch of the lower jaw consists of a single bone - the tooth, and in reptiles it includes several more, including the so-called. articular. In mammals, the jaw joint is formed by the dentary bone of the lower jaw and the squamosal bone of the cranium, and in reptiles by the articular and quadrate bones, respectively. Mammals have three bones in the middle ear (the malleus, the incus, and the stapes), but reptiles have only one (a homologue of the stapes, called the column). Two additional auricular bones arose from the quadrate and articular bones, which became the incus and malleus, respectively. Although it is possible to build a whole sequence of synapsids that are increasingly closer to mammals, up to almost complete similarity with them in terms of appearance and biology, the emergence of animals as a separate group is considered to be associated with the transformation of the reptilian type of jaw joint, which moves from the articular-quadrate position to the articulation between the dental and squamosal bones. Apparently, this happened in the middle of the Triassic period, approximately 235 million years ago, but the earliest fossil remains of real mammals are known only from the end of the Triassic, i.e. they're ok. 220 million years.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MAMMALS
Some parts of the mammalian skeleton, especially the skull, are simpler than those of their reptile ancestors. For example, as already mentioned, each branch (right and left) of their lower jaw consists of one bone, while in reptiles it consists of several. In animals, the upper jaw (premaxillary bone in front and maxillary bone in back) is completely fused with the cranium, while in some reptiles it is connected to it by movably elastic ligaments. In mammals, the upper teeth are located only on the premaxillary and maxillary bones, and in primitive vertebrates they can also be on other bony elements of the roof oral cavity, including on the vomers (near the nasal passages) and the palatine bones (next to the maxillary bones). Mammals typically have two pairs of functional limbs, but some aquatic forms, such as whales (Cetacea) and sirenians (Sirenia), retain only the forelimbs. All animals are warm-blooded and breathe atmospheric air. They differ from all other vertebrates, with the exception of birds and crocodiles, by a four-chambered heart and the complete separation of arterial and venous blood in it. However, unlike birds and crocodiles, mature red blood cells (erythrocytes) of mammals lack nuclei. With the exception of the most primitive representatives of the class, all mammals are viviparous and feed their young with milk produced by the mother's mammary glands. First animals, or monotremes, such as the platypus, lay eggs, but the young that hatch from them also feed on milk. In some species, although they are born fully formed, they are naked (without fur) and helpless, and their eyes remain closed for some time. In other animals, especially ungulates (goats, horses, deer, etc.), the cubs are born completely covered in fur, with open eyes and are almost immediately able to stand and move. In marsupials, such as kangaroos, the young are born underdeveloped and are carried for some time in a pocket on the mother's stomach.
Wool. The presence of hair covering the body is a distinctive feature of animals: only they form hair, i.e. thread-like keratinized outgrowths of the skin (epidermis). The main function of the coat is to insulate the body, facilitating thermoregulation, but it also serves many other purposes, in particular, it protects the skin from damage, can camouflage the animal due to its color or configuration, or demonstrate its gender. In many mammals, the hair on certain parts of the body has changed significantly and specialized during evolution, becoming, for example, the protective quills of a porcupine, the horn of a rhinoceros, the whiskers (sensitive “whiskers”) of cats and the winter “snowshoes” (edges of the legs) of a snowshoe hare. Individual hairs are in most cases cylindrical or oval in cross-section, although in some species they are almost flat. Microscopic examination shows that the hair shaft (above and directly below the skin) is a compact flexible rod consisting of hardened dead cells. A typical hair shaft consists of three concentric layers: a central spongy core formed by loosely lying rectangular cells, often with small layers of air between them, a middle cortical layer that makes up the main part of the hair and is formed by fusiform cells arranged longitudinally close to each other, and a thin outer skin ( cuticle) of scale-like, overlapping cells, the free edges of which are directed towards the free end of the hair. The delicate primary hairs of the human fetus (lanugo), and sometimes the small down on the adult body, lack a core. Hair cells form under the skin inside the hair follicle (follicle) and are pushed out by new cells that form underneath. As you move away from the root, i.e. source of nutrition, the cells die and are enriched with keratin - an insoluble protein in the form of long thin fibers. Keratin fibers chemically bond with each other, which gives the hair strength. Hair color depends on several factors. One of them is the presence of pigments (coloring substances) called melanins. Although the name of these pigments comes from the word "black", their color varies from yellow to red, brown and black. Melanins can appear in individual hair cells as they grow and move away from the follicle. The presence or absence of melanin, its color and quantity, as well as the proportion of air layers between the cells of the trunk together determine the entire variety of hair colors. In principle, we can say that its color depends on the absorption and reflection of light by the melanin (mainly the cortex) and its scattering by the walls of the air layers of the core. For example, black hair contains optically dense, very dark melanin in both the cortex and the pith, so it reflects only a very small part of the light rays. In contrast, the polar bear's fur is generally devoid of pigment, and its color is determined by the uniform dispersion of light. The diversity of hair structure is primarily associated with the shape of the cuticular cells and the location of the medullary cells. Specific animal species tend to have a specific coat structure, so using a microscope can usually determine its taxonomic nature. A notable exception to this rule is the 150 species of shrews in the genus Crocidura with virtually identical hair. Determination of species by microscopic features of hair is currently being replaced by more accurate methods based on the study of DNA and karyotypes (chromosomal sets). Hair covering the body is usually divided into two types based on length and structure. Some of them are guard - long, shiny, relatively rough. They are usually surrounded by one and a half to two times more short hair undercoat. True seals (family Phocidae), also called earless seals, are covered mainly with coarse guard hairs with sparse undercoat. Fur seals, on the other hand, have a very thick undercoat. They belong to the family of eared seals (Otariidae), which also includes sea lions with the same skin as real seals.

Teeth, present in the vast majority of mammals, are solid structures that develop from special connective tissue (mesoderm) cells - odontoblasts and consist mainly of calcium phosphate (apatite), i.e. By chemical composition very similar to bones. However, calcium phosphate crystallizes and combines with other substances in different ways, so that the result is the formation of various dental tissues - dentin, enamel and cementum. The tooth is primarily made up of dentin. (Elephant tusks, and therefore ivory, are solid dentin; the small amount of enamel that initially covers the end of the tusk is quickly worn away.) The cavity in the center of the tooth contains a “pulp” of soft connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves that feeds it. Typically, the outward surface of the tooth is at least partially covered with a thin but extremely hard layer of enamel (the hardest substance in the body), which is formed by special cells - ameloblasts (adamantoblasts). The teeth of sloths and armadillos lack it; sea otter (sea otter) and spotted hyena, which have to regularly chew hard shells of mollusks or bones, its layer, on the contrary, is very thick. The tooth is attached to the cell on the jaw using cement, which in terms of hardness occupies an intermediate position between enamel and dentin. It may also be present inside the tooth itself and on its chewing surface, such as in horses. Mammalian teeth are generally divided into four groups according to their function and location: incisors, canines, premolars (molars, false molars, or premolars), and molars (molars). The incisors are located in the front of the mouth (on the premaxillary bones of the upper jaw and, like all teeth of the lower jaw, on the dentary bones). They have cutting edges and simple conical roots. They serve mainly to hold food and bite off parts of it. Fangs (who have them) are usually long rods pointed at the end. As a rule, there are four of them (2 upper and lower), and they are located behind the incisors: the upper ones are in the front part of the maxillary bones. Fangs are used mainly for inflicting penetrating wounds in attack and defense, holding and carrying food. Premolars are located between the canines and molars. Some primitive mammals have four of them on each side of the upper and lower jaw (16 in total), but most groups during evolution have lost some of their false root teeth, and in humans, for example, there are only 8. Molars, located in the back of the jaws, along with premolars are combined into a group of cheek teeth. Its elements can vary in size and shape depending on the feeding pattern of the species, but usually have a wide, ribbed or tuberous chewing surface for crushing and grinding food. In piscivorous mammals, such as toothed whales, all teeth are almost identical, approaching a simple cone in shape. They are used only for catching and holding prey, which is either swallowed whole or pre-torn into pieces, but not chewed. Some mammals, notably sloths, toothed whales, and the platypus, develop only one set of teeth throughout their lives (in the platypus this is only present during the embryonic stage) and are called monophyodonts. However, most animals are diphyodont, i.e. they have two changes of teeth - the first, temporary, called milk teeth, and the permanent one, characteristic of adult animals. Their incisors, canines and premolars are completely replaced once in a lifetime, and molars grow without milk precursors, i.e. in fact, they are a late developing part of the first change of teeth. Marsupials occupy an intermediate position between monophyodonts and diphyodonts, since they retain all the milk teeth except the removable fourth premolar. (In many of them, this corresponds to the third cheek tooth, since one premolar was lost during evolution.) Since different types mammalian teeth are homologous, i.e. identical in evolutionary origin (with rare exceptions, for example, river dolphins have more than a hundred teeth), each of them occupies a strictly defined position relative to the others and can be designated by a serial number. As a result, the dental set characteristic of a species can be easily written down in the form of a formula. Since mammals are bilaterally symmetrical animals, this formula is compiled only for one side of the upper and lower jaws, remembering that to calculate the total number of teeth it is necessary to multiply the corresponding numbers by two. The expanded formula (I - incisors, C - canines, P - premolars and M - molars, upper and lower jaws - numerator and denominator of the fraction) for a primitive set of six incisors, two canines, eight false roots and six molars is as follows:

However, an abbreviated formula is usually used, which indicates only the total number of teeth of each type. For the above primitive dental set, it looks like this:

For domestic cow, which does not have upper incisors and canines, the record takes the following form:

and in humans it looks like this:

Since all types of teeth are arranged in the same order - I, C, P, M - dental formulas are often further simplified by omitting these letters. Then for a person we get:

Some teeth that perform special functions during evolution can undergo very strong changes. For example, in the order of carnivores (Carnivora), i.e. in cats, dogs, etc., the fourth upper premolar (designated P4) and the first lower molar (M1) are larger than all other cheek teeth and equipped with sharp, blade-like cutting edges. These teeth, called carnivores, are located opposite each other and act like scissors, cutting the meat into pieces that are more convenient for the animal to swallow. The P4/M1 system is a distinctive feature of the order Carnivora, although other teeth may also serve its function. For example, the milk set of Carnivora does not contain molars, and only premolars (dP3/dP4) are used as carnivores, and in some representatives of the extinct order Creodonta two pairs of molars - M1+2/M2+3 - served for the same purpose.

Skeleton. In mammals, as in all vertebrates, the skeleton consists of a large number of bones that develop independently and are interconnected by ligaments and connective tissue. In some species it is deeply specialized, but the principle of its structure is the same in all representatives of the class. This fundamental similarity is clearly visible when comparing extremes, such as dolphins, which have virtually no necks with paper-thin vertebrae, and giraffes, which have the same number of necks but have highly elongated neck vertebrae. The mammalian skull articulates with the vertebral column by two rounded bony protrusions in its posterior part - the occipital condyles. For comparison, the reptile skull has only one occipital condyle, i.e. only one point of articulation with the spine. The first two vertebrae are called the atlas and epistropheus. Together with the next five, they make up the seven cervical vertebrae. This number is typical for all mammals except sloths (from six to nine) and, possibly, manatees (according to some experts - six cervical vertebrae). Then comes the largest, thoracic spine; Ribs are attached to its vertebrae. Next come the lumbar (between chest and pelvis) and sacral vertebrae. The latter are fused together and articulated with the pelvic bones. The number of caudal vertebrae varies greatly depending on the type of animal and reaches several dozen. Different mammals have different numbers of ribs surrounding many vital organs. They are usually flat and arched. Each rib is movably articulated at one end (proximal) with the dorsal vertebra, and at the other end (distal) the anterior ribs (in humans - upper) are attached to the sternum using cartilage. They are called true, in contrast to the posterior ones (in humans, the lower ones), which are not connected to the sternum and are called false. The distal end of these ribs is either attached to the cartilaginous part of the last true rib or remains free, in which case they are called oscillating. The sternum consists of a number of more or less flattened bones fused together and is connected on each side by cartilage to the ribs. U bats it bears a prominent keel for the attachment of powerful flight muscles. Flying birds and penguins (which “fly” underwater) have a similar keel on the sternum, while flightless birds like the ostrich do not. The scapula is a wide, flat bone with a median ridge (spine) on the outer surface. The clavicle is connected at one end to the upper edge of the sternum, and at the other to the humeral process (acromion) of the spine of the scapula. The clavicle strengthens the shoulder, so it is primarily characteristic of those mammals (for example, primates) that intensively use the forelimbs for grasping. It is also present in primitive species, particularly monotremes, because it is part of the ancestral (reptilian) pectoral girdle, a skeletal structure that links the forelimb to the axis of the body. The clavicle has been reduced or lost during the evolution of groups of mammals that do not need it. For example, it is vestigial in the horse, since it would only interfere with the lengthening of its stride (only a small strip surrounded by muscles remains), and is absent in whales. The pelvis (pelvic girdle) serves to attach the hind limbs to the spine.

Limbs. The uppermost bone of the forelimb (human arm) is the humerus. It is attached to the scapula using a ball-and-socket joint, and its lower end is connected to two bones of the forearm (upper arm) - the radius and ulna. The wrist usually consists of six to eight small bones (there are eight in humans) that connect to the bones of the metacarpus, forming the “palm” of the hand. The bones of the fingers are called phalanges. The femur of the hind limb (leg in humans) is articulated by a ball-and-socket joint with the pelvis. The skeleton of the lower leg consists of two bones - the tibia and fibula. Then comes the foot, i.e. tarsus of several bones (in humans - seven), connecting to the bones of the metatarsus, to which the phalanges of the fingers are attached. The number of toes and hands depends on the type of mammal - from one to five. Five is a primitive (ancestral) state, and, for example, a horse, belonging to evolutionarily advanced forms, has only one finger on both the front and hind limbs (anatomically, this is a greatly enlarged middle, i.e., third, finger, and the rest are lost during specialization). The deer has functional large third and fourth toes, forming a cloven hoof; the second and fifth are small, not reaching the ground, and the first (“big”) is missing. In most mammals, the ends of the digits are protected by claws, nails, or hooves, which are keratinized derivatives of the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). Appearance and the functions of these structures differ greatly, but their general plan of structure is the same. Mammals that rely on their entire sole when walking, i.e. on the metacarpus and metatarsus, such as bears and people, are called plantigrade, those moving with support only on the fingers (for example, cats and dogs) are called digitigrade, and hoofed forms (cow, horse, deer) are phalangeal. The body cavity of all animals is divided in two by a muscular partition called the diaphragm. In front (in humans - from above) is the chest cavity, which contains the lungs and heart, and in the back (in humans - from below) is the abdominal cavity with the rest internal organs except for the kidneys. Only mammals have a diaphragm: it is involved in ventilation of the lungs. The mammalian heart is divided into four chambers - two atria and two ventricles. Each atrium communicates with a ventricle on the same side of the body, but this opening is equipped with a valve that allows blood to flow in only one direction. Oxygen-depleted blood returning to the heart from the body's organs enters the right atrium through large veins called vena cava. It is then pushed into the right ventricle, which pumps it to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. In the lungs, the blood is saturated with oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide. Oxygen-rich blood then flows into the pulmonary veins, and from them into the left atrium. Then it is pushed from it into the left ventricle, which pumps it through the largest artery - the aorta - to all organs of the body. The lungs are a spongy mass consisting of numerous air-filled passages and chambers surrounded by a network of capillaries. Passing through this network, the blood absorbs oxygen from the air pumped into the lungs and at the same time releases carbon dioxide into it.
Normal blood temperature varies from person to person
species of mammals is not the same, and in many bats, rodents and a number of other species it noticeably drops during sleep and seasonal hibernation. Usually close to 38°C, in the latter case it may approach freezing point. “Warm-bloodedness” characteristic of mammals, i.e. The ability to maintain a constant body temperature is a relative concept. Diurnal fluctuations in this temperature are known in many species; in humans, for example, throughout the day it rises from a morning minimum (approx. 36.7 ° C) to approximately 37.5 ° C in the evening. Desert animals are exposed to extreme heat, which also affects their body temperature; in camels, for example, it can change during the day by almost 6 ° C. And in the rodent naked mole rat, living in the relatively stable microclimatic conditions of the burrow, the latter directly affect body temperature. The stomach of most mammals consists of one section, but some species have several of them, for example, four in ruminants, i.e. artiodactyl animals such as cows, deer and giraffes chewing the cud. Camels and deer are called “false ruminants” because, although they chew the cud, they differ from “true” ruminants in having a three-chambered stomach and some features of teeth, legs and other organs. In a number of whales, the long tubular stomach is divided into several successive chambers. The lower end of the stomach opens into the small intestine, which in turn leads to the large intestine, which leads to the rectum. At the border of the small and large intestines, the cecum branches off from the digestive tract. In humans and some other animals, it ends in a small rudiment - a vermiform appendix (appendix). The structure and role of the cecum varies greatly depending on the species of animal. For example, in ruminants and horses it performs the important function of a fermentation chamber for the digestion of plant fibers and is exceptionally long, while in other mammals it is relatively small, although it takes an active part in digestion. The mammary glands produce milk to feed the young. These structures are formed in representatives of both sexes, but are underdeveloped in males. In all mammals, except the platypus and other monotremes, the ducts of the mammary glands open on fleshy outgrowths - nipples, which the young, feeding, capture with their mouths. In some species, such as cows, the mammary ducts first empty into a chamber called a cistern, where milk is stored and then released through long tubular teats. Monoductal nipples do not have nipples, and the milk ducts open into pore-like openings in the skin.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
The nervous system functions as an integral unit with sensory organs, such as the eyes, and is controlled in mammals by the brain. The largest part of the latter is called the cerebral hemispheres (in the occipital region of the skull there are two smaller hemispheres of the cerebellum). The brain connects to the spinal cord. In all mammals, with the exception of monotremes and marsupials, unlike other vertebrates, the right and left cerebral hemispheres are connected to each other by a compact bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. In the brains of monotremes and marsupials there is no corpus callosum, but the corresponding areas of the hemispheres are also connected by nerve bundles; for example, the anterior commissure connects the right and left olfactory areas with each other. The spinal cord, the main nerve trunk of the body, passes through a canal formed by the foramina of the vertebrae and extends from the brain to the lumbar or sacral spine, depending on the species of animal. On each side of the spinal cord, nerves extend symmetrically to different parts of the body. The sense of touch is, in general terms, provided by certain nerve fibers, countless endings of which are located in the skin. This system is usually supplemented by hairs that act as levers to press on areas riddled with nerves. Vision is more or less developed in all mammals, although some mole rats have small, underdeveloped eyes covered with skin and are hardly even able to distinguish light from dark. The animal sees light reflected from objects, absorbed by the eye, which transmits corresponding signals to the brain for recognition. In other words, the eyes themselves do not “see”, but act only as converters of light energy. One of the problems in obtaining a clear visual image is overcoming chromatic aberration, i.e. a blurred border of color appearing at the edges of an image formed by a simple lens (a non-composite transparent object with two opposing surfaces, at least one of which is curved). Chromatic aberration is an inherent property of the lens of the eye and occurs because it, like a simple lens, refracts shorter wavelength light (such as violet) more strongly than longer wavelength rays (such as red). Thus, rays of all wavelengths are not focused at one point, giving a clear image, but some are closer, others are further away, and the image turns out blurry. IN mechanical system camera type, chromatic aberration is corrected by gluing together lenses with different mutually compensating refractive powers. The mammalian eye solves this problem by "cutting out" most of the short-wavelength light. The yellowish lens acts as a yellow filter: it absorbs almost all of the ultraviolet (which is partly why humans do not perceive it) and part of the blue-violet part of the spectrum. Not all of the light that passes through the pupil and reaches the light-sensitive retina is used for vision. Some of it passes through the retina and is absorbed by the underlying pigment layer. For nocturnal animals, this would mean too much wastage of the small amount of available light, so many such species have a mirrored bottom of the eye, reflecting unused light back onto the retina to further stimulate its receptors. It is this reflected light that causes the eyes of some mammals to “glow” in the dark. The mirror layer is called tapetum lucidum (mirror). Mammals have two main types of speculum. The first is fibrous, characteristic of ungulates. Their mirror mainly consists of a shiny layer of connective tissue fibers. The second type is cellular, for example in carnivores. In this case, it consists of several layers of flattened cells containing fiber-like crystals. The mirror is usually located in the choroid behind the retina, but, for example, in some bats and the Virginia opossum it is embedded in the retina itself. The color that the eyes glow depends on the amount of blood in the capillaries of the choroid and the content of rhodopsin (a purple light-sensitive pigment) in the rod-shaped elements of the retina through which the reflected light passes. Despite the widespread belief that color vision is rare among mammals, most of which supposedly see only shades of gray, accumulating evidence suggests that many species, including domestic cats and dogs, do have at least some color vision. Color vision is probably most developed in primates, but is also known in the horse, giraffe, Virginia opossum, several species of squirrels and many other animals. Hearing is well developed in many mammals, and for 20% of their species it largely replaces vision. A hearing aid consists of three main parts. Mammals are the only group of animals with a well-developed external ear. The auricle picks up sound waves and directs them to the eardrum. WITH inside from it there is the next section - the middle ear, an air-filled chamber with three bones (hammer, incus and stirrup), which mechanically transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. It includes the cochlea - a spirally twisted, fluid-filled tube with hair-like projections inside. Sound waves cause fluid vibrations and, indirectly, movement of hairs, which serves as stimulation of nerve cells at their base. The frequency range of perceived sounds depends on the type of animal. Many small mammals hear "ultrasound" at frequencies that are too high for human hearing. Ultrasound is especially important for species that use echolocation - capturing reflected sound waves (echoes) to recognize objects in the environment. This method of orientation is characteristic of bats and toothed whales. On the other hand, many large mammals can pick up low-frequency “infrasound”, which humans also cannot hear. The sense of smell is associated with thin sensitive membranes (olfactory mucosa) at the back of the nasal cavity. They capture odorant molecules present in the inhaled air. The olfactory mucosa consists of nerve and supporting cells covered with a layer of mucus. The endings of its nerve cells bear bundles of olfactory “cilia”, numbering up to 20, which together form a kind of fleecy carpet. Cilia serve as odor receptors, and the thickness of their “carpet” depends on the type of animal. In humans, for example, there are up to 20 million of them in an area of 5 cm2, and in dogs - more than 200 million. Odorous molecules dissolve in mucus and enter special sensitive pits on the cilia, stimulating nerve cells that send impulses to the brain for analysis and recognition.
COMMUNICATION
Sound. Mammals use sounds to communicate, emitting, for example, alarm signals, threats or calls for mating (some animals, in particular certain types of deer, only vocalize during the breeding season). A number of species, including rabbits, have well-developed vocal cords, but use them only under extreme stress. Non-vocal sound communication is known in many mammals: rabbits, for example, knock on the ground with their paws, white-footed hamsters drum their front paws on hollow objects, and male deer rattle their antlers on branches. Sound communication plays important role V social interactions animals, since in general they can express all basic emotions with sounds. Bats and toothed whales make sounds for echolocation, which allows them to navigate in the dark or in turbid water, where vision would be clearly insufficient for this.
Visual. Mammals communicate not only through sounds. For example, in some species, the white underside of the tail is, if necessary, shown to relatives as a visual signal. The "stockings" and "masks" of certain antelopes are also widely used to display their condition. A special example of visual communication is observed in the American pronghorn, which sends messages to other individuals of its species within a 6.5 km radius using a patch of long white fur on the rump. A frightened animal sharply fluffs up these hairs, which seem to flare up in the sunlight, becoming clearly visible at a great distance.
Chemical. Odors identified by various chemicals in urine, feces and gland secretions, are widely used by mammals during social interactions, for example, to mark territory or recognize suitable mating partners. In the latter case, the smell allows not only to distinguish males from females, but also to determine the stage of the reproductive cycle of a particular individual. Chemical signals used for intraspecific communication are called pheromones (from the Greek pherein - to carry and hormon - to excite, i.e. pheromones “transfer excitement” from one individual to another). They are divided into two functional types: signaling and motivating. Signal pheromones (releasers) cause specific behavioral reactions of another animal, for example, attracting individuals of the opposite sex, forcing them to follow an odorous trail left behind, fleeing, or attacking an enemy. Motivating pheromones (primers) lead to physiological changes in relatives. For example, the achievement of sexual maturity in a house mouse is accelerated by the odor of substances contained in the urine of adult males, and slowed down by pheromones in the urine of adult females.
See also ANIMAL COMMUNICATION.
REPRODUCTION
Fish and amphibians usually lay eggs (eggs) in water. Their eggs are equipped with membranes that help the developing embryos eliminate waste and absorb nutrients, primarily from the calorie-rich yolk. The yolk sac and other membranes of this type are located outside the embryo and are therefore called extraembryonic membranes. Reptiles were the first vertebrates to acquire three additional extraembryonic membranes, which allowed them to lay eggs on the ground and ensure development without an aquatic environment. These membranes made it possible for the embryo to receive nutrients, water and oxygen, as well as to secrete metabolic products while in a non-aqueous environment. The innermost of them, the amnion, forms a sac filled with a brackish fluid. It surrounds the embryo, providing it with a liquid environment similar to that in which embryos of fish and amphibians are immersed in water, and animals that possess it are called amniotes. The outermost membrane - the chorion - together with the middle one (allantois) performs other important functions. The shell surrounding the fish egg is also called the chorion, but this structure is functionally comparable to the so-called chorion. the zona pellucida of a mammalian egg, present even before fertilization. Animals inherited extraembryonic membranes from reptiles. In oviparous monotremes, these membranes still perform their ancestral functions, since the energy needs of the embryo are met by the rich reserves of yolk in the large shelled eggs. In the embryos of marsupials and placentals, which receive most of the energy necessary for development from the mother, the eggs contain little yolk, and the embryo soon attaches to the wall of the uterus with the help of chorion outgrowths penetrating into it. In most marsupials and some placentals, it fuses with the yolk sac to form a primitive placenta called the yolk sac. The placenta (also called the placenta or placenta) is a formation that ensures two-way metabolism between the embryo and the maternal body. Through it, nutrients are supplied to the embryo, its respiration and the removal of metabolic products. In most placental mammals, the chorion forms it together with the allantois, and it is called allantoid. The length of the period from fertilization of the egg to the birth of the calf varies from 12 days in some marsupials to about 22 months in the African elephant. The number of newborns in a litter usually does not exceed the number of nipples in the mother and, as a rule, is less than 14. However, some mammals have very large litters, for example, a female Madagascan tenrec from the order of insectivores with 12 pairs of mammary glands sometimes gives birth to more than 25 cubs. Usually one embryo develops from a fertilized egg, but polyembryony also occurs, i.e. it gives rise to several embryos that divide into the most early stages development. Occasionally, this occurs in many species, including in humans, completely identical - identical - twins are born, but in the nine-banded armadillo, polyembryony is a common occurrence, and the litter, as a rule, consists of “quadruplets”. In marsupials, young are born underdeveloped and complete development in the mother's pouch. See also MARSPIALS. Immediately after birth (or, in the case of monotremes, after hatching from eggs), mammals feed on mother's milk. The mammary glands are usually located in pairs, which range from one (for example, in primates) to 12, as in tenrecs. At the same time, many marsupials have an odd number of mammary glands and only one nipple is developed in the middle of the abdomen.

A KOALA has been caring for her “bear cub” for almost four years.

LOCOMOTION
In general, the mechanism of movement (locomotion) is the same in all mammals, but its specific methods have developed in many divergent directions. When the ancestors of animals first crawled onto land, their front and hind limbs were short and widely spaced, which made movement on land slow and clumsy. The evolution of mammalian locomotion was aimed primarily at increasing speed by lengthening and straightening the legs and raising the torso above the ground. This process required certain skeletal changes, including the loss of a number of elements of the reptilian shoulder girdle. Thanks to the diversity of specialization, the animals have mastered all possible ecological niches. Modes of locomotion in modern mammals include digging, walking, running, jumping, climbing, gliding, flapping, and swimming. Burrowing forms, such as moles and gophers, move below the soil surface. The powerful forelimbs of these mammals are extended forward so that the paws can work in front of the head, and the shoulder muscles are very well developed. At the same time, their hind limbs are weak and unspecialized. The hands of such animals can be very large, adapted for raking soft soil, or armed with powerful claws for “drilling” hard soil. Many other mammals dig holes in the ground, but digging, strictly speaking, is not one of their methods of locomotion.

Many small species, such as rats, mice and shrews, are characterized by a relatively massive body with short limbs and usually move in sprints. It’s hardly worth talking about any locomotor specialization. Some mammals, such as bears, are best adapted to walking. They belong to the plantigrade type and rest on their feet and palms when walking. If necessary, they can run hard, but they do it clumsily and cannot maintain high speed for long. Very large animals are also adapted to walking, such as elephants, in which there is a tendency to lengthen and strengthen the upper bones of the legs while shortening and widening the lower ones. This turns the limbs into massive columns that support the enormous mass of the body. In contrast, in fast-running animals such as horses and deer, the lower segments of the legs are rod-shaped, capable of quickly moving forward and backward. The muscles of the limbs are concentrated in their upper part, leaving below mainly powerful tendons that slide, as if on blocks, along the smooth surfaces of the cartilage and stretch to the places of attachment to the bones of the feet and hands. Additional adaptations to fast running include the reduction or loss of the outer digits and the convergence of the remaining ones. The need to catch up with agile prey and quickly cover long distances while searching for it led to the emergence of another method of locomotion in cats and dogs - on the fingers. At the same time, the metacarpus and metatarsus lengthened, which made it possible to increase running speed. Its record for mammals is recorded in cheetahs: approximately 112 km/h. Another main direction in the evolution of rapid movement on land was the development of the ability to jump. Most animals, whose life is directly dependent on the speed of their locomotion, move forward using mainly the pushes of their hind legs. The extreme development of this method of movement, combined with a change in lifestyle, led to profound structural transformations in jumping species. Their main morphological change was the lengthening of the hind limbs, primarily their lower parts, which led to increased propulsion and the ability to soften the blow when landing. To provide the force necessary for long, successive leaps, the muscles of these limbs have grown greatly in the transverse direction. At the same time, their outer fingers were reduced or disappeared altogether. The limbs themselves spread widely to increase stability, and the animal as a whole became digitigrade. In most cases, the forelimbs are greatly reduced and the neck is shortened. The tail of such species is very long, like that of a jerboa, or relatively short and thick, like that of a kangaroo. It serves as a balancer and to some extent a steering device. The jumping method of locomotion allows for maximum acceleration. Calculations show that the longest jump is possible at a take-off angle from the ground of 40-44°. Rabbits use a method of movement that is intermediate between running and jumping: powerful hind legs push the body forward, but the animal lands on its front paws and is ready to repeat the jump, only once again grouped in its original position. To lengthen their jumps and thus cover distance more efficiently, some animals acquired a parachute-like membrane running along the body between the fore and hind limbs and attached to the wrists and ankles. When the limbs are spread out, it straightens out and provides sufficient lift for gliding from top to bottom between branches located at different heights. Rodent American flying squirrel- a typical example of animals moving in this way. Similar gliding membranes have independently evolved in other groups, including African spinytails and the Australian flying squirrel. The animal can start flying from almost any position. Stretching its head forward, it glides through the air, gaining speed under the influence of gravity sufficient to turn its body upward before landing, so that it lands in an upright position. After this, the animal is ready to climb up the tree trunk and, having climbed to the required height, repeat the flight. Among mammals, the most advanced adaptation for gliding is possessed by caguans, or woolly wings, that live in the Far East and the Philippine Islands. Their lateral membrane continues along the neck and tail, reaches the big toes and connects the other four. The bones of the limbs are long and thin, which ensures maximum stretching of the membrane when the limbs are straightened. With the exception of gliding, which evolved as a special type of locomotion, modern mammals show no transition from terrestrial locomotion to flapping flight. The only mammals that are actually capable of flight are bats. The oldest known fossil representatives already had well-developed wings, the structure of which has remained almost unchanged over 60 million years. These flying mammals are thought to have evolved from some primitive group of insectivores. The forelimbs of bats are transformed into wings. Their most noticeable feature is the strongly elongated four fingers with a flight membrane between them. However, the thumb protrudes beyond its anterior edge and is usually armed with a hook-shaped claw. The long bones of the limbs and their main joints have undergone significant changes. The humerus is distinguished by large outgrowths (trochanters) to which muscles are attached. In some species, the trochanters are long enough to form a secondary articulation with the scapula, which gives the shoulder joint extraordinary strength, but limits movement in it to one plane. The elbow joint is formed almost exclusively by the humerus and radius bones, and the ulna is reduced and practically non-functional. The flying membrane usually stretches between the ends of the 2nd-5th fingers and then along the sides of the body, reaching the legs at the feet or ankles. In some species it continues between the legs from ankle to ankle, surrounding the tail. In this case, a cartilaginous process (spur) extends from the inside of the ankle joint, which supports the posterior membrane. The flight patterns of bats of different genera and species are not the same. Some of them, such as fruit bats, flapping their wings measuredly. Folded lips fly very quickly, and the flight speed of, for example, bagwings can change dramatically. Some fly smoothly, like moths. Be that as it may, flight is the main method of locomotion of bats, and it is known that some migratory species cover up to several hundred kilometers without rest. At least one representative of almost every order of mammals is a good swimmer. In fact, all animals, even bats, can float on water if necessary. Sloths move even faster in it than on land, and some rabbits have mastered this environment no worse than muskrats. Exist different levels special adaptation of mammals to life in water. For example, a mink does not have any special devices for this, with the exception of fur lubricated with fat, and whales have a body shape and behavior that resembles fish rather than animals. In semi-aquatic forms, the hind feet are usually enlarged and equipped with a membrane between the toes or a rim of coarse hair, like an otter. Their tail can be modified into a paddle blade or rudder, becoming flattened vertically, like a muskrat's, or horizontally, like a beaver's. Sea lions have adapted to life in water even better: their front and hind legs are extended and turned into flippers (the upper segments of the limbs are immersed in the fatty layer of the body). At the same time, they still retain thick fur to retain heat and are able to move on land on all fours. Real seals took the path of specialization further. For swimming, they use only their hind limbs, which can no longer turn forward to move on land, and their thermal insulation is provided mainly by a layer of subcutaneous fat (blub). Cetaceans and sirenians demonstrate complete adaptation to life in water. It is accompanied by profound morphological changes, including the complete disappearance of the external hind limbs, the acquisition of a streamlined, fish-like body shape and the disappearance of hair. The thick layer of blubber surrounding the body helps whales keep warm, just like real seals. Forward movement in the water is provided by horizontal fins with a cartilaginous frame located in the back of the tail.
SELF-PRESERVATION
All mammals have developed certain self-preservation mechanisms, and many have acquired special protective devices during evolution.

The AFRICAN CRESTED PORCUBE is protected by a mane (“comb”) of flexible spines and sharp quills. Having spread them out, he turns his tail towards the enemy and makes a sharp movement back, trying to prick the aggressor.

Protective covers. Some animals, such as the hedgehog, are covered with spines and, in case of danger, curl up into a ball, exposing them in all directions. A similar method of protection is used by armadillos, which are able to completely isolate themselves from the outside world with a horny shell, which also protects the body from the sharp thorns of cacti, which are the most common vegetation in the habitats of these animals. The North American porcupine has developed protective covers even further. It is not only covered with jagged needles, which, if stuck in the body of an enemy, can lead to his death, but also very deftly wields its barbed tail, delivering quick and accurate blows to the enemy.
Glands. Mammals use it for protection and chemical weapon. This method is most mastered by the skunk, which produces a caustic and very smelly liquid in the paired anal glands at the base of the tail. By contracting the muscles surrounding the glands, he can throw a thin stream of it at a distance of up to 3 m, aiming at the enemy’s most vulnerable places - the eyes, nose and mouth. Keratin is an important component of the outer layer of skin (epidermis) of mammals. It is a strong, elastic and water-insoluble protein. It is extremely necessary for the protection of animals, since it protects underlying tissues from chemical irritants, moisture and mechanical damage. Areas of the skin that are particularly susceptible to aggressive environmental influences are protected by a thickened epidermis with an increased content of keratin. An example is calloused growths on the soles. Claws, nails, hooves and horns are all specialized keratin formations. Claws, nails and hooves are composed of the same structural elements, but differ in their location and degree of development. The claw consists of two parts - the upper plate, called the ungual, and the lower plantar. In reptiles they usually form two halves of a conical cap enclosing the fleshy end of the finger. In the claws of mammals, the lower plate is reduced and practically does not cover the finger. The upper plate of the nail is wide and flat, and the narrow remainder of the lower one is hidden between its edge and the pad of the finger. In the hoof, both plates are enlarged, thickened and curved, with the upper one (the wall of the hoof) surrounding the lower one (its sole). The fleshy end of the finger, called the frog in horses, is pushed back and upward. The claws are used primarily for digging, climbing and attacking. A beaver combs its fur with a forked claw of its hind paw. Cats usually keep their claws retracted in special sheaths to avoid dulling their ends. Deer often defend themselves with axe-sharp hooves and can kill snakes with them. The horse is famous for the powerful kick of its hind legs, and is capable of kicking with each leg separately and with both legs at once. In defense, she can also rear up and sharply strike the enemy from top to bottom with her front hooves.
Horns. In the process of evolution, mammals very early acquired skull projections used as weapons. They were present in some species already in the Eocene (about 50 million years ago) and have since become increasingly characteristic of many ungulates. In the Pleistocene (began about 1.6 million years ago), these outgrowths reached fantastic sizes. In many cases, they are more important for fights with relatives, for example when males compete for a female, than as a means of protection from predators. Basically, all horns are hard outgrowths on the head. However, they developed and specialized in two different directions. One type can be called true horns. They consist of a usually unbranched bone core extending from the frontal bones, covered with a sheath of hard keratinized horny tissue. This hollow case, removed from the cranial protrusions, is used to make various “horns” into which they blow a trumpet, pour wine, etc. True horns are usually present in animals of both sexes and are not shed throughout their lives. The exception is the antlers of the American pronghorn. Their horny sheath, like that of real horns, not only bears a small process (sometimes more than one), forming a “fork,” but is also shed (replaced) every year. The second type is deer antlers, which in their fully developed form consist only of bone without a horny covering, i.e. Actually, they are called “horns” incorrectly. These are also processes of the frontal bones of the skull, usually branched. Only males have stag-type antlers, although caribou (reindeer) are an exception here. Unlike real ones, such horns are shed and grow back every year. Rhino horn is also not real: it consists of hardened keratinized fibers ("hairs") glued together. Giraffe horns are not horny structures, but bony processes covered with skin and regular hair. True horns are characteristic of the group of bovids - large cattle, sheep, goats and antelope. In wild buffalo-like mammals they are often very thick at the base and form a kind of helmet, for example in the musk ox and the black African buffalo. In most types of cattle they are only slightly curved. The ends of the horns of all species point upward to one degree or another, which increases their effectiveness as weapons. Horns bighorn sheep in relation to the overall size of the animal, the heaviest and largest. In males they are massive and twisted into a spiral, changing their shape as they grow, so that their ends can eventually describe more than one full circle. In combat, these horns are used as battering rams rather than as piercing weapons. In females they are smaller and almost straight. The horns of wild goats specialized differently. Their length makes them impressive. Arched, widely diverging in the mountain goat and straight, corkscrewed in the horned goat, they are very different from the mutton ones, which, even with a greater overall length, seem smaller, since their ends are closer to the base due to the spiral bend. Horns appear at an early stage of development of an individual. In very young animals, their rudiments are loosely attached to the frontal bones, can be separated from the skull, and even more or less successfully transplanted onto the head of another animal. The practice of horn transplantation originated in India or the Far East and may be related to the origin of legends about unicorns.
Teeth. Most hornless mammals have teeth as their main weapons. However, some species, such as anteaters, lack them, and, say, rabbits with perfectly developed teeth never use them for defense, no matter how great the danger. Most rodents, when threatened, find good use for their chisel-shaped incisors. Bats can bite, but in most cases their teeth are too small to cause serious wounds. Predators use mainly sharp, long fangs in battle, which are vital for them. Cat fangs are dangerous, but the bite of dogs is more powerful, since in a fight these animals are not able to help themselves with their claws. Some mammals have evolved highly specialized teeth called tusks. They are used mainly for obtaining food, but can also serve as weapons. Most wild pigs, such as the European wild boar, dig up edible roots with their long tusks, but can also use these teeth to inflict a serious wound on an enemy. Walrus tusks are used to tear up the seabed in search of bivalves. They are well developed in both sexes, although in females they are usually thinner. Such a tooth can reach a length of 96 cm and weigh more than 5 kg. Narwhal is the only cetacean with a tusk. It is usually developed only in males and arises from the left side of the upper jaw. This is a forward-protruding straight, spirally twisted rod that can exceed 2.7 m in length and weigh more than 9 kg. Since it is normally present only in males, one of the ways it is probably used is in fighting for females. African elephants- owners of the largest tusks among living mammals. They use them in combat, for digging and marking territory. A pair of such tusks can reach a total length of 3 m, yielding more than 140 kg of ivory.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
Based on the aggressiveness of the behavior of mammals, they can be divided into three main groups: harmless (never attacking warm-blooded animals with the purpose of killing), indifferent (capable of provoked attacks and killing) and aggressive (killing regularly).
Harmless. Rabbits are perhaps the most harmless of all mammals: they do not even pretend to fight, no matter how desperate their situation. Rodents are generally harmless, although some species, such as the American red squirrel, can kill and eat a small animal on occasion. The blue whale is the largest and strongest mammal that has ever lived, but it feeds on small crustaceans and fish, thus being one of the most harmless creatures.
Indifferent. This category includes large herbivores that are aware of their strength and can attack in case of provocation or danger threatening the young. Male deer are harmless nine months of the year, but become extremely unpredictable and dangerous during the rutting season. In a group of cattle, the bulls are ready to fight at any time. The fact that the color red makes them furious is a misconception: the bull attacks any object moving in front of its nose, even white. An Indian buffalo can rush at a tiger without provocation on his part, perhaps following the instinct of protecting the young. A wounded or cornered African buffalo is considered one of the most dangerous animals. Elephants, except for some angry individuals, are harmless outside the mating period. Oddly enough, a passion for killing can develop in donkeys, and in them it takes on the character of purely sporting passion. For example, on the island of Mona off the coast of Puerto Rico there lived a donkey who spent his free time hunting wild pigs.
Aggressive. Typical aggressive animals include representatives of the order Carnivora. They kill to get food, and normally do not go beyond purely nutritional needs. However, a dog that loves to hunt can destroy more game than it can eat at one time. The weasel strives to strangle all the mice in the colony or the chickens in the chicken coop and only then take a “break for lunch.” The shrew, despite its small size, is extremely pugnacious and is capable of killing a mouse twice its size. Among cetaceans, the killer whale is not without reason called the killer whale. This sea predator can attack literally any animal he encounters. Killer whales are the only whales that regularly feed on other warm-blooded animals. Even huge right whales, faced with a pod of these killers, take flight.
SPREADING
The distribution areas (areas) of individual mammal species are extremely diverse and are determined both by climatic conditions and by the isolation of large land masses from each other caused by tectonic processes and continental drift.
North America. Since the isthmus between North America and Eurasia disappeared relatively recently (rising sea levels flooded the Bering Strait land bridge that existed 35,000-20,000 years ago), and both regions are located in the Northern Hemisphere, between their faunas, including mammals, there is great similarity. Typical animals include moose, reindeer and red deer, mountain sheep, wolves, bears, foxes, wolverines, lynxes, beavers, marmots, and hares. In Eurasia and North America live large bulls (bison and bison, respectively) and tapirs. However, only in North America are species found such as pronghorn and big goat, puma, jaguar, black-tailed and white-tailed (virgin) deer and gray fox.
South America. This continent is very unique in its mammal fauna, although many forms migrated from here across the Isthmus of Panama to North America. One of the features of many local arboreal animals is the presence of a prehensile tail. Only in South America do rodents of the pig family (Caviidae) live, which includes, in particular, the Patagonian mara, which looks more like a hare than its closely related species, the guinea pig. The capybara is also found here - the largest modern rodent, reaching a mass of 79 kg. Guanaco, vicuna, alpaca and llama, unique to the Andes, are South American representatives of the camelid family (Camelidae). Anteaters, armadillos and sloths come from South America. There are no local species of cattle or equines here, but there are many deer and their own species of bear - the spectacled one. Pig-like forms are represented by peculiar peccaries. Possums, some felids (including the jaguar and puma), canids (including the large red wolf), rabbits and broad-nosed monkeys (which differ from Old World species in a number of significant characteristics) are found here, and squirrels are well represented. The mammals of Central America are mainly of South American origin, although some species, such as the large climbing hamsters, are unique to this region.
Asia. Asia has a particularly diverse range of large mammals, including elephants, rhinoceroses, tapirs, horses, deer, antelope, wild bulls, goats, rams, pigs, felines, canines, bears and primates, including gibbons and orangutans.
Europe. In terms of fauna, Europe is part of Eurasia, but large mammals are almost extinct here. Deer and fallow deer are still found in protected forests, while wild boars and chamois still live in the Pyrenees, Alps and Carpathians. Mouflon, believed to be a close relative of domestic sheep, is known from Sardinia and Corsica. The wild bison virtually disappeared from Europe during World War II. Of the small mammals, there are still preserved in limited quantities, for example, the otter, badger, fox, forest cat, ferret, weasel; Squirrels and other rodents, hares and rabbits are quite common.
Africa. A very spectacular mammal fauna still inhabits Africa, where antelopes are especially diverse. Zebras still form large herds; There are a lot of elephants, hippos and rhinoceroses here. Most mammal groups are represented in Africa, although northern forms such as deer, sheep, goats and bears are either absent or very few in number. Unique to this continent are the giraffe, okapi, African buffalo, aardvark, gorilla, chimpanzee and warthog. Most "African" lemurs live on the island of Madagascar.
Australia. Australian region for a long time(possibly for at least 60 million years) was isolated from the rest of the continents and, naturally, is strikingly different from them in terms of mammal fauna. Animals characteristic of this region are monotremes (echidna, prochidna and platypus) and marsupials (kangaroos, bandicoots, possums, koalas, wombats, etc.). wild dog The dingo appeared in Australia relatively recently: it was probably brought here by primitive people. Local rodents and bats are found here, but wild ungulates are absent. Distribution across climatic zones. The habitats of wild animals are largely determined by climate. The Arctic and Subarctic are characterized by musk ox, caribou, polar bear, walrus and lemmings. In the northern regions with temperate climate inhabited by most deer, bears, sheep, goats, bison and horses. Felines and canines also have northern origins, but they have spread almost throughout the world. Antelopes, tapirs, zebras, elephants, rhinoceroses, wild pigs, peccaries, hippos and primates. The southern temperate regions are small in area and are characterized by only a few specialized forms.
CLASSIFICATION
The class of mammals (Mammalia) is divided into two subclasses - the first animals (Prototheria), i.e. monotremes, or oviparous animals, and true animals (Theria), to which all other modern orders belong. Marsupials and placental mammals have much in common in origin closer friend to each other than each of these groups is to monotremes. All these animals are viviparous and have a simplified shoulder girdle that is not rigidly attached to the axial skeleton. The subclass is divided into two modern infraclasses - Metatheria (lower animals, i.e. marsupials) and Eutheria (higher animals, i.e. placentals). In the latter, the cubs are born at relatively late stages of development, the placenta is of the allantoid type, teeth and general structure are usually highly specialized, and the brain is usually quite complex. The following are the orders of living mammals. SUBCLASS PROTOTHERIA - PRIMARY Beasts
The order Monotremata (monotremes) includes two families - platypus (Ornithorhynchidae) and echidnas (Tachyglossidae). These animals reproduce in the same way as their reptilian ancestors, i.e. laying eggs. They combine the characteristics of mammals (fur, mammary glands, three ear bones, diaphragm, warm-bloodedness) with some features of reptiles, for example, the presence of a coracoid (a bone that strengthens the shoulder between the shoulder blade and sternum) in the shoulder girdle. Modern monotremes are found only in New Guinea and Australia, but the remains of a 63-million-year-old fossil platypus were found in Patagonia (South America). Echidnovae are terrestrial and feed on ants and termites, while the platypus is a semi-aquatic animal that eats earthworms and crustaceans.
INFRACLASS METATHERIA - LOWER BEASTS
Marsupials have long been classified as a single order, Marsupialia, but modern research showed that within this group there are seven clear evolutionary lines, which are sometimes distinguished as independent orders. In some classifications, the term "marsupials" denotes the infraclass as a whole, the name of which is changed from Metatheria to Marsupialia. The order Didelphimorphia (American possums) includes the most ancient and least specialized marsupials, probably originating in North America in the mid-Cretaceous period, i.e. almost 90 million years ago. Modern forms, such as the Virginia opossum, are indiscriminate in their diet and live in a wide variety of conditions. Most of them are omnivorous (some eat mainly fruits or insects) and inhabit tropical latitudes from southern Mexico to northern Argentina (some reach Canada and Chile). Several species bear their young in a pouch, but most do not have one. The order Paucituberculata (little tuberculates) was most rich in forms in the Tertiary period (approximately 65-2 million years ago), but is now represented by only one family Caenolestidae, the species of which lack a true bag. Caenolestes are small animals that live on the ground, feed exclusively on insects and live in the temperate forests of the South American Andes. The order Microbiotheria is represented by the only living species - the Chilean opossum from the family Microbiotheriidae, limited in its distribution to the southern beech (nothofagus) forests of southern Chile and Argentina. Its relationship with the rest of the marsupials of the New World and Australia, as well as placental mammals, is completely unclear. It is a small animal with a true pouch that feeds on insects and builds nests on branches in the bamboo undergrowth. The order Dasyuromorphia (carnivorous marsupials) includes the least specialized Australian marsupials and consists of three families, two of which have only one species. Talitsin, or Tasmanian wolf, from the family of marsupial wolves (Thylacinidae) - large predator, who previously lived in Tasmania. The nambat, or marsupial anteater (family Myrmecobiidae), feeds on ants and termites and lives in the woodlands of southern Australia. Family Dasyuridae, including marsupial mice, marsupial rats, marsupial martens and the marsupial (Tasmanian) devil, unites wide range insectivorous and predatory forms inhabiting New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania. All of them are without a bag. The order Peramelemorphia (bandicoots) includes the families of bandicoots (Peramelidae) and rabbit bandicoots (Thylacomyidae). These are the only marsupials that have acquired a chorioallantoic placenta, which, however, does not form the finger-shaped villi that characterize the placenta of the same type in higher animals. These small to medium-sized animals with an elongated snout walk on four legs and feed mainly on insects and other small animals. They live in Australia and New Zealand. The order Notoryctemorphia (marsupial moles) includes a single representative, the marsupial mole (family Notoryctidae), which resembles true moles in size and body proportions. This insectivorous animal inhabits the sand dunes of the inland regions of Australia and literally swims in the thickness of the sand, which is facilitated by the large claws of its forelimbs and a hard leathery scute on the nose. The order Diprotodontia comprises most of the mammals characteristic of Australia. The families Koalas (Phascolarctidae), Wombatidae (Vombatidae), climbing marsupials (Phalangeridae), marsupial flying squirrels (Petauridae) and kangaroos (Macropodidae) include mainly herbivorous forms, while pygmy gliders (Burramyidae) and some marsupial flying squirrels prefer insects, and gliders prefer insects. -Honeyeaters (Tarsipedidae) specialize in pollen and nectar. SUBCLASS THERIA - REAL BEASTS.
INFRACLASS EUTHERIA - HIGHEST BEASTS
As already noted, higher animals are placental mammals. The order Xenarthra (incomplete teeth), formerly called Edentata, is one of the most ancient evolutionary lineages of placentals. It radiated during the Tertiary period (65 - approximately 2 million years ago) in South America, occupying very unique ecological niches. Incomplete edentates include anteaters (Myrmecophagidae) that specialize in feeding on ants and termites, herbivorous sloths (families Megalonychidae and Bradypodiidae) and mainly insectivorous armadillos (Dasypodidae). These animals have a specially strengthened spine (vertebrae with additional joints), the skin is strengthened by bone scutes or additional layers of connective tissue, and the teeth are without enamel and roots. The group's distribution is mainly limited to the New World tropics; only armadillos penetrated the temperate zone.

The order Insectivora (insectivores) now occupies the ecological niches of the most ancient Mesozoic mammals. In most cases, these are small land-dwelling nocturnal animals that feed on insects, other arthropods and various soil invertebrates. Their eyes, as a rule, are quite small, as are the visual areas of the brain, the hemispheres of which are poorly developed and do not cover the cerebellum. At the same time, the olfactory lobes, responsible for the perception of smells, are longer than the rest of the brain. Taxonomists still argue about the number of families of this order, but most often they are six (for modern species). Shrews (Soricidae) are extremely small mammals; in some of them the metabolic rate reaches the highest level known for animals. Other families of insectivores include moles (Talpidae), golden moles (Chrysochloridae), hedgehogs (Erinaceidae), tenrecs (Tenrecidae) and slittooths (Solenodontidae). Representatives of the order live on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. For a long time, the order Scandentia (tupaidae) with one family of the same name was not identified as a special group, classifying its representatives as primitive primates, to which they are indeed closely related, as well as bats and woolly wings. Tupai are similar in size and appearance to squirrels, live only in the forests of East Asia and feed mainly on fruits and insects. The order Dermoptera (wool wings) includes only two species, also called caguans. They live in rain forests South-East Asia and are characterized by a wide gliding membrane that extends from their neck to the toes of all four limbs and the end of the tail. The comb-like, serrated lower incisors are used as scrapers, and the woolwing's diet consists mainly of fruits, buds and leaves. The order Chiroptera (chiroptera) is the only group of mammals capable of active flight. By diversity, i.e. in number of species, it is second only to rodents. The order includes two suborders: fruit bats (Megachiroptera) with one family of fruit bats (Pteropodidae), uniting frugivorous bats of the Old World, and bats (Microchiroptera), modern representatives of which are usually divided into 17 families. Fruit bats navigate mainly by vision, while bats make extensive use of echolocation. The latter are distributed throughout the world, most of them catch insects, but some are specialized in feeding on fruits, nectar, terrestrial vertebrates, fish or blood sucking. The Primates order includes humans, monkeys and prosimians. Primates have freely rotating arms, well-developed collarbones, usually opposable thumbs (a climbing device), one pair of mammary glands, and a well-developed brain. The suborder of prosimians includes the monkey, living mainly in Madagascar, lemurs and lorises, galagos from the African continent, tarsiers from the East Indies and the Philippines, etc. To the group broad-nosed monkeys, living in the New World, include howler monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys (Saimiri), spider monkeys (koats), marmosets, etc. Group narrow-nosed monkeys The Old World includes marmosets (macaques, mangabeys, baboons, thin-bodied monkeys, proboscis monkeys, etc.), anthropoids (gibbons from Southeast Asia, gorillas and chimpanzees from equatorial Africa and orangutans from the islands of Borneo and Sumatra) and you and me. The order Carnivora (carnivores) are carnivorous mammals of various sizes with teeth adapted for eating meat. Their fangs are especially long and sharp, their fingers are armed with claws, and their brain is quite well developed. Most lead a terrestrial lifestyle, but semi-aquatic, aquatic, semi-arboreal and underground species are also known. This order includes bears, raccoons, martens, mongooses, civets, foxes, dogs, cats, hyenas, seals, etc. Pinnipeds are sometimes classified as an independent order Pinnipedia. These are predatory animals, highly specialized for life in the water, but still forced to come to land to reproduce. Their limbs resemble fins, and their fingers are connected by a swimming membrane. Their normal position on land is recumbent; external ears may be absent, the dental system is simplified (they do not survive food), and the hair coat is often reduced. Pinnipeds are found in all oceans, but predominate in cold areas. There are three modern families: Otariidae (eared seals, i.e. fur seals, sea lions, etc.), Odobenidae (walruses) and Phocidae (true seals).

The order Cetacea (cetaceans) includes whales, porpoises, dolphins and related animals. They are mammals highly adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. The body shape is similar to that of a fish, the tail bears horizontal fins that are used for movement in the water, the forelimbs are transformed into flippers, there are no external traces left of the hind limbs, and the body is normally hairless. The order is divided into two suborders: toothed whales (Odontoceti), i.e. sperm whales, beluga whales, porpoises, dolphins, etc., and baleen whales (Mysticeti), whose teeth are replaced by baleen plates hanging on the sides of the upper jaw. Representatives of the second suborder are very large: smooth, gray, blue whales, minke whales, humpback whales, etc. Although it has long been believed that cetaceans evolved from tetrapods terrestrial mammals, until very recently there was no paleontological evidence of this: all known ancient forms already resembled modern ones and did not have hind limbs. However, in 1993, a small fossil whale named Ambulocetus was discovered in Pakistan. He lived in the Eocene, i.e. OK. 52 million years ago, and possessed four functional limbs, representing an important link between modern cetaceans and their four-legged land ancestors. Most likely, Ambulocetus came to land like modern pinnipeds. Its legs were fully developed, but, apparently, they were rather weak, and this ancient whale moved on them in the same way as sea lions and walruses do. The order Sirenia (sirens) are highly specialized aquatic mammals that are unable to live on land. They are large, with heavy bones, a tail-fin flattened in a horizontal plane, and forelimbs transformed into flippers. No traces of hind limbs are visible. Modern representatives of the order are found in warm coastal waters and rivers. The genus Hydrodamalis (sea, or Steller's, cows) is extinct, but until relatively recently it was found in the northern part Pacific Ocean. The living forms are represented by manatees (Trichechidae), which live in the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and dugongs (Dugongidae), found mainly in the quiet bays of the Red Sea, Indian and South Pacific Oceans. The order Proboscidea (proboscidea) now includes only elephants, but also includes the extinct mammoths and mastodons. Modern representatives of the order are characterized by a nose extended into a long, muscular, grasping trunk; greatly enlarged second upper incisors forming tusks; powerful columnar limbs with five fingers, which (especially the external ones) are more or less rudimentary and surrounded by a common covering; very large molars, of which only one is used at a time on each side of the upper and lower jaws. Two species of elephants are common in the tropics of Asia and Africa. The order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) unites ungulates that rest on a greatly enlarged middle (third) toe. Their false-rooted and molar teeth gradually transform into each other, although the latter are distinguished by massive, square-shaped crowns. The stomach is simple, the cecum is very large, the gallbladder is absent. This order includes tapirs, rhinoceroses, horses, zebras and donkeys. The order Hyracoidea (hyraxes) includes the only family distributed in Western Asia and Africa. Hyraxes, or fat hyraxes, are relatively small animals in which the upper incisors grow constantly and are slightly curved longitudinally, like in rodents. Molars and false molars gradually transform into each other; on the front feet the three middle toes are more or less identical, the fifth is smaller and the first is vestigial; hind legs with three well-developed toes, the first missing, the fifth rudimentary. There are three genera: Procavia (rocky or desert hyraxes), Heterohyrax (mountain or gray hyraxes) and Dendrohyrax (tree hyraxes).

The order Tubulidentata (aardvarks) is now represented by a single species - the aardvark, living in sub-Saharan Africa. This medium-sized mammal is covered with sparse, coarse hair; its numerous teeth are highly specialized, its ears are large, the first toe on the front paws is missing, but the hind legs have five approximately equal toes, the elongated snout is elongated into a tube, its lifestyle is terrestrial and burrowing. The aardvark feeds mainly on termites.

The order Artiodactyla (artiodactyls) unites animals that rest on the phalanges of the third and fourth fingers. They are large, approximately equal to each other, and their ends are surrounded by a hoof. False roots and molars are usually clearly distinguishable; the latter - with wide crowns and sharp tubercles for grinding plant food. The collarbone is missing. The lifestyle is terrestrial. Many species belong to the ruminant group. The living representatives of the order are pigs, hippopotamuses, camels, llamas and guanacos, deer, deer, buffaloes, sheep, goats, antelopes, etc.

The order Pholidota (lizards, or pangolins) includes animals that are probably closely related to edentates: they are devoid of teeth, and their body is covered with scales. The single genus Manis contains seven well-separated species. The order Rodentia (rodents) is the most rich in species and individuals, as well as the most common group of mammals. Most species are small; Large forms include, for example, the beaver and the capybara (capybara). Rodents are easily recognized by the nature of their teeth, which are adapted for cutting and grinding plant food. The incisors of each jaw (two above and below) are strongly protruding, chisel-shaped and constantly growing. Between them and the molars there is a wide toothless gap - diastema; fangs are always absent. Various species of rodents are terrestrial, semi-aquatic, burrowing or wood image life. This squad unites squirrels, gophers, mice, rats, beavers, porcupines, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, lemmings and many other animals. The order Lagomorpha (Lagomorpha) includes pikas, hares and rabbits. Its representatives are most numerous in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are distributed more or less everywhere. They were absent from the Australian region, where they were brought by white colonists. Like rodents, they have two pairs of large, prominent, chisel-shaped incisors, but there is an additional pair on top, located directly behind the front one. Most species are terrestrial, but some American forms are semi-aquatic. The order Macroscelidea (jumpers) includes animals that have long been classified as insectivores (order Insectivora), but are now considered a completely separate line of evolution. Jumpers are distinguished by well-developed eyes and ears, as well as an elongated snout, forming a flexible but incapable of folding proboscis. These features help them find food - various insects. Jumpers live in African semi-deserts and bushes.
Scientific and technical encyclopedic Dictionary- (animals), class of vertebrates. Includes oviparous, or cloacal, mammals (proto-beasts) and viviparous mammals (true animals). The first mammals evolved from animal-like reptiles, apparently at the beginning of the Triassic or... Modern encyclopedia

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Quite difficult: different scientists have their own views on which animals belong to a certain order, superorder, clade, group and all the other complex terms that biologists use when untangling the branches of the tree of life. To make the classification a little easier, in this article you will discover alphabetical list and the characteristics of mammal orders, which most scientists agree with.

Afrosoricides and insectivores

An order of mammals formerly known as insectivores ( insectivora), has undergone great changes recently, dividing into two new orders: insectivores ( Eulipotyphia) and afrosoricides ( Afrosoricida). In the latter category are two very obscure creatures: bristly hedgehogs from southern Africa and golden moles from Africa and Madagascar.

Common tenrec

To the squad Eulipotyphia includes hedgehogs, slittooths, shrews and moles. All members of this order (and most Afrosoricidae) are tiny, narrow-nosed, insectivorous animals with bodies covered in thick fur or spines.

Armadillos and edentates

Nine-banded armadillo

The ancestors of armadillos and edentates first arose in South America about 60 million years ago. Animals from these orders are characterized unusual shape vertebrae Sloths, armadillos and anteaters, which belong to the superorder edentates ( Xenarthra), have the most sluggish metabolism of any other living mammal. Males have internal testes.

Today, these animals are on the edge of the mammalian class, but back in the day, they were among the largest organisms on Earth, as evidenced by the five-ton prehistoric sloth Megatherium, as well as the two-ton prehistoric armadillo Glyptodon.

Rodents

Spiny mouse

The largest order of mammals, consisting of more than 2,000 species, includes squirrels, dormice, mice, rats, gerbils, beavers, ground squirrels, kangaroo hoppers, porcupines, striders and many others. All these tiny, furry animals have teeth: one pair of incisors in the upper and lower jaws? and a large gap (called a diastema) located between the incisors and molars. The incisors grow continuously and are constantly used to grind food.

Hyraxes

Bruce's hyrax

Hyraxes are stout, short-legged, herbivorous mammals that look a bit like a cross between a domestic cat and a rabbit. There are four (according to some sources five) species of hyraxes: tree hyrax, western hyrax, Cape hyrax and Bruce hyrax, all of which are native to Africa and the Middle East.

One of the strangest features of hyraxes is their relative lack of internal temperature regulation; They are warm-blooded, like all mammals, but at night they gather in groups to keep warm, and during the day they warm up in the sun for a long time, like reptiles.

Lagomorpha

Even after centuries of study, scientists are still not sure what to do with hares, rabbits and pikas. These small mammals are similar to rodents, but have some important differences: Lagomorphs have four, rather than two, incisors in the upper jaw, and are also strict vegetarians, whereas mice, rats and other rodents tend to be .

Lagomorphs can be identified by their short tails, long ears, slit-like nostrils that they can close, and (in some species) a strong tendency to move around by jumping.

Caguanas

Malayan woolwing

Never heard of kaguans? And this is possible, because on our planet there are only two living species of woolly wings left, which live in the dense jungles of Southeast Asia. Caguans have a wide membrane of skin that connects all the limbs, tail and neck, which allows them to glide from one tree to another, a distance of about 60 m.

Oddly enough, molecular analysis has demonstrated that caguans are the closest living relatives of our own order of mammals, the primates, but their parenting behavior is most similar to marsupials!

Cetaceans

The order includes almost a hundred species and is divided into two main suborders: toothed whales (including sperm whales, beaked whales, killer whales, as well as dolphins and porpoises) and baleen whales (smooth, gray, dwarf and striped whales).

These mammals are characterized by their flipper-like forelimbs, reduced hind limbs, streamlined bodies, and a massive head that extends into a “beak.” Cetacean blood is unusually rich in hemoglobin, and this adaptation allows them to remain underwater for long periods of time.

Odd-toed ungulates

Compared to their equivalent artiodactyl cousins, they are a rare order, consisting exclusively of horses, zebras, rhinoceroses and tapirs - about 20 species in total. They are characterized by an odd number of fingers, as well as a very long intestine and a single-chamber stomach containing specialized ones that help digest tough vegetation. Oddly enough, according to molecular analysis, equid mammals may be more closely related to carnivores (order Carnivora) than to artiodactyl mammals.

Monotreme or oviparous

These are the most bizarre mammals on our planet. They include two families: platypus and echidnaidae. These females do not give birth to live young. Monotremes are also equipped with cloacas (a single opening for urination, defecation and reproduction), they are completely toothless and have electroreceptors, thanks to which they can sense weak electrical signals from afar. Scientists believe that monotremes are from an ancestor living in, which preceded the split of placental and marsupial mammals, hence their uniqueness.

Pangolins

Steppe lizard

Also known as pangolins, pangolins have large, horny, diamond-shaped scales (made of keratin, the same protein as human hair) that overlap and cover their bodies. When these creatures are threatened by predators, they curl into tight balls, and if they feel threatened, they emit a foul-smelling liquid from their anal glands. Pangolins are native to Africa and Asia, and are almost never found in the Western Hemisphere except in zoos.

Artiodactyls

Mountain goat

They are placental mammals that have developed third and fourth toes, covered with a thick, horny hoof. Even-toed ungulates include fauna such as cows, goats, deer, sheep, antelope, camels, llamas, pigs, etc., accounting for about 200 species worldwide. Almost all artiodactyls are herbivores (with the exception of omnivorous pigs and peccaries); some members of the order, like cows, goats and sheep, are ruminants (mammals equipped with additional stomachs).

Primates

Pygmy marmoset

It includes about 400 species and in many respects its representatives can be considered the most “advanced” mammals on the planet, especially with regard to the size of their brains. Non-human primates often form complex social units and are capable of tool use, and some species have dexterous hands and prehensile tails. There is no single feature that defines all primates as a group, but these mammals have common features, such as binocular vision, hair, limbs with five fingers, fingernails, developed hemispheres brain, etc.

Jumpers

Short-eared jumper

Hoppers are small, long-nosed, insectivorous mammals native to Africa. Currently, there are about 16 species of jumpers, which are grouped into 4 genera, such as: proboscis blennies, forest jumpers, long-eared jumpers and short-eared jumpers. The classification of these small mammals has been the subject of debate; in the past they were presented as close relatives of ungulate mammals, lagomorphs, insectivores and tree shrews (recent molecular evidence suggests a relationship with elephants).

Chiroptera

Spectacled flying fox

Representatives of the order are the only mammals that are capable of active flight. The order Chiroptera includes about a thousand species, divided into two main suborders: Megachiroptera(mergans) and Microchiroptera(the bats).

Fruit bats also known as flying foxes, have a large body size relative to bats, and eat only fruit; Bats are much smaller and have a more varied diet, ranging from the blood of grazing animals, insects, and flower nectar. Most bats, and very few fruit bats, have the ability to echolocate - that is, they pick up high-frequency sound waves from their environment to navigate in dark caves and tunnels.

Sirens

The semi-marine mammals known as pinnipeds (including seals, sea lions and walruses) are in the order Carnivores (see below), but dugongs and manatees belong to their own order Sirena. The name of this unit is associated with the sirens from Greek mythology. Apparently starving Greek sailors mistook dugongs for mermaids!

Sirens are characterized by their lobed tails, almost vestigial hind limbs, and muscular forelimbs that allow them to control their bodies underwater. Modern dugongs and manatees are small in body size, but members of the recently extinct family of sea cows may have weighed up to 10 tons.

Marsupials

An infraclass of mammals that, unlike placental mammals, do not carry their young in the womb, but incubate them in specialized pouches after an extremely short interval of internal pregnancy. Everyone is familiar with kangaroos, koalas and wombats, but possums are also marsupials, and for millions of years the largest marsupials on Earth lived in South America.

In Australia, marsupials managed to displace placental mammals for most of the year, with the only exceptions being the jerboa mice that made their way from Southeast Asia, and the dogs, cats and livestock introduced to the continent by European settlers.

Aardvarks

Aardvark

The aardvark is the only living species in the order Aardvarks. This mammal is characterized by its long snout, arched back and coarse fur, and its diet consists mainly of ants and termites, which it preys on by tearing apart insect nests with its long claws.

Aardvarks live in forests and grasslands south of the Sahara, their range extends from southern Egypt to the Cape Good Hope, in the south of the continent. The aardvark's closest living relatives are artiodactyls and (somewhat surprisingly) whales!

Tupaii

Indonesian tupaya

This order includes 20 species of tupai that are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Representatives of this order are omnivores, and eat everything from insects to small animals, and flowers such as. Ironically, they have the highest brain-to-body ratio of any living mammal (including humans).

Predatory

and domestic cats), but also hyenas, civets and mongooses.

Canids include dogs, wolves, as well as bears, raccoons and a variety of other carnivores, including seals, sea lions and walruses. As you might have guessed, carnivores are characterized by sharp teeth and claws; they also possess at least four toes on each foot.

Proboscis

Savannah elephant

You may be surprised to learn that all the world's order Elephants are divided into only three species (or according to some sources two): the African savannah elephant, the African forest elephant and the Indian elephant.

Animals or mammals are the most highly organized. A developed nervous system, feeding their young with milk, viviparity, and warm-blooding allowed them to spread widely throughout the planet and occupy a wide variety of habitats. Mammals are animals that live in forests (wild boars, moose, hares, foxes, wolves), mountains (rams, steppes and semi-deserts (jerboas, hamsters, ground squirrels, saigas), soil (mole rats and moles), oceans and seas ( dolphins, whales).Some of them (for example, bats) spend a significant part of their active life in the air. Today, the existence of more than 4 thousand species of animals is known. Orders of mammals, as well as characteristics, inherent in animals - we will talk about all this in this article. Let's start with a description of their structure.

External structure

The body of these animals is covered with hair (even whales have its remains). There are coarse straight hairs (hair) and fine curly hairs (undercoat). The undercoat protects the hair from contamination and matting. The coat of mammals can consist only of awns (for example, in deer) or from undercoat (as in moles). These animals shed periodically. In mammals, this changes the thickness of the fur, and sometimes the color. The skin of animals contains hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands and their modifications (mammary and odorous glands), horny scales (as on the tail of beavers and rats), as well as other horny formations found on the skin (horns, hooves, nails, claws). Considering the structure of mammals, we note that their legs are located under the body and provide these animals with more advanced movement.

Skeleton

They have a highly developed braincase in their skull. In mammals, teeth are located in the cells of the jaws. They are usually divided into molars, canines and incisors. The cervical spine in almost all animals consists of seven vertebrae. They are movably connected to each other, except for the sacral and two caudal ones, which, fused, form the sacrum - a single bone. The ribs articulate with the thoracic vertebrae, which are usually from 12 to 15. In most mammals, the girdle of the forelimbs is formed by paired shoulder blades and clavicles. Only a small part of the animals have crow bones preserved. The pelvis consists of two pelvic bones fused to the sacrum. The skeleton of the limbs is made of the same bones and sections as those of other representatives of four-legged vertebrates.

What sense organs do mammals have?

Mammals are animals that have ears that help them detect odors and also determine their direction. Their eyes have eyelids and eyelashes. On the limbs, belly, and head there are vibrissae - long, coarse hairs. With their help, animals sense even the slightest touch of objects.

Origin of mammals

Just like birds, mammals are descendants of ancient reptiles. This is evidenced by the similarity of modern animals with modern reptiles. It is especially evident in the early stages of embryonic development. An even greater number of similarities were found in them with wild-toothed lizards, which became extinct many years ago. Also, the relationship with reptiles is evidenced by the fact that there are animals that lay eggs containing many nutrients. Some of these animals have cloaca, developed crow bones and other signs indicating low organization. We are talking about proto-beasts (egg-laying). Let's tell you more about them.

Primordial beasts

This is a subclass of the most primitive mammals alive today. Along with the signs already mentioned, it should be noted that they do not have a constant body temperature. The mammary glands of primal beasts do not have nipples. The cubs, hatched from the eggs, lick the milk from the mother's fur.

In this subclass, one order stands out - Monotremes. It includes 2 species: the echidna and the platypus. These animals can today be found in Australia, as well as on the islands adjacent to it. The platypus is a medium-sized animal. It prefers to settle along the banks of rivers and leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle here. He spends most of his time in a hole he dug in a steep bank. In the spring, the female platypus lays eggs (usually two of them) in a special burrow equipped with a nesting chamber. Echidnas are burrowing animals. Their body is covered with hard hair and spines. The females of these animals lay one egg, which they place in a pouch, a fold of skin located on the abdomen. The baby hatched from it remains in the pouch until needles appear on its body.

Marsupials

The order Marsupials includes animals that give birth to immature cubs, after which they carry them to term in a special pouch. Their placenta is poorly developed or does not form at all. Marsupials are distributed mainly in Australia, as well as on the islands adjacent to it. The most famous of them are the marsupial and the giant kangaroo.

Insectivores

Insectivores are an order that unites ancient placental primitive animals: hedgehogs, shrews, moles, muskrats. They have an elongated muzzle and an elongated proboscis. Insectivores have small teeth and five-toed feet. Many of them have scent glands near the root of the tail or on the sides of the body.

Shrews are the smallest representatives of insectivores. They live in meadows, bushes, and dense forests. These animals are voracious and attack small animals. In winter, they make tunnels under the snow and find insects.

Moles are animals that lead an underground lifestyle. They dig numerous holes with their front legs. The mole's eyes are poorly developed and appear as black dots. The ears are in their infancy. The short, thick coat does not have a specific direction and lies tightly to the body when moving. Moles are active all year round.

Chiroptera

The order Bats or Chiroptera includes animals of medium and small sizes that are capable of long flight. In the subtropics and tropics they are especially numerous. These type of teeth. The most common in our country are earflaps, leather boots, and vechnitsy. They settle in the attics of houses, in tree hollows, and in caves. During the day they prefer to sleep in their shelters, and at dusk they go out to catch insects.

Rodents

This order unites a third of the mammal species inhabiting our planet today. These include squirrels, gophers, rats, mice and other animals of medium and small size. Rodents for the most part are herbivorous animals. They have highly developed incisors (two in each jaw), molars with a flat chewing surface. Rodent incisors have no roots. They constantly grow, self-sharpen and wear off when eating food. Most rodents have a long intestine with a cecum. Rodents lead an arboreal lifestyle (dormouse, flying squirrels, squirrels), as well as a semi-aquatic (muskrat, nutria, beaver) and semi-subterranean (gophers, rats, mice). These are fertile animals. Most of them have cubs born blind and naked. This usually occurs in nests, hollows and burrows.

Lagomorpha

This order unites various pikas and pikas - animals that are similar in many ways to rodents. Main hallmark lagomorphs have a specific dental system. They have 2 small incisors behind the 2 large upper ones. Hares (hares, hare) feed on the bark of bushes and young trees, and grass. They come out to feed at dusk and at night. Their cubs are born sighted, with thick fur. Unlike hares, rabbits dig deep holes. Before giving birth to naked and blind cubs, the female makes a nest from the fluff that she pulls out of her chest, as well as from dry grass.

Predatory

Representatives of this order (bears, stoats, martens, lynxes, arctic foxes, foxes, wolves) usually feed on birds and other animals. The predatory mammal actively pursues its prey. The teeth of these animals are divided into incisors, molars and canines. The most developed are the canines, as well as 4 molars. Representatives of this order have a short intestine. This is due to the fact that the predatory mammal eats easily digestible and high-calorie food.

Pinnipeds

Let's move on to the consideration of pinnipeds. Their representatives (walruses, seals) are large predatory marine mammals. The body of most of them is covered with sparse coarse hair. The limbs of these animals are modified into flippers. A thick layer of fat is deposited under their skin. The nostrils open only during inhalation and exhalation. When diving, the ear openings close.

Cetaceans

True marine mammals - whales and dolphins - are included in this order. Their body is fish-shaped. These marine mammals for the most part do not have hair on their bodies - they are preserved only around the mouth. The forelimbs have been transformed into flippers, but the hind limbs are missing. In the movement of cetaceans great importance has a powerful tail that ends in a caudal fin. It is incorrect to say that marine mammals are fish. These are animals, although in appearance they resemble fish. Representatives of cetaceans are the largest mammals. The blue whale reaches a length of 30 meters.

Artiodactyls

This order includes medium-sized and large omnivores and herbivores. Their legs have 2 or 4 toes, most of them are covered with hooves. Based on the structural features of the stomach and methods of feeding, they are divided into non-ruminant and ruminant animals. The latter (rams, goats, deer) have incisors only on the lower jaw, and the molars have a wide chewing surface. Non-ruminants have a single-chamber stomach, and their teeth are divided into molars, canines and incisors.

Odd-toed ungulates

Let us continue to describe the orders of mammals. Even-toed ungulates are animals such as horses, zebras, donkeys, tapirs, and rhinoceroses. Most of them have developed toes on their feet, on which there are massive hooves. Today, only Przewalski's horse has survived.

Primates

These are the most highly developed mammals. The order includes prosimians and apes. They have grasping five-fingered limbs, with the thumb opposed to the rest. Almost all primates have a tail. The vast majority of them live in the subtropics and tropics. They inhabit mainly forests, where they live in small family groups or herds.

Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians - all of them can be described for a very long time. We have only briefly described the animals and described the existing units. The mammal family is diverse and numerous, as you have just seen. We hope that getting to know him was useful to you.

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Representatives of the order have a relatively short intestine. Characteristics, classification, habitat, importance and protection of mammals. Afrosoricides and insectivores

Afrosoricides and insectivores

Armadillos and edentates

Rodents

Hyraxes

Lagomorpha

Caguanas

Cetaceans

Odd-toed ungulates

Monotreme or oviparous

Pangolins

Artiodactyls

Primates

Jumpers

Chiroptera

Sirens

Marsupials

Aardvarks

Tupaii

Predatory

Proboscis

External structure

Skeleton

What sense organs do mammals have?

Origin of mammals

Primordial beasts

Marsupials

Insectivores

Chiroptera

Rodents

Lagomorpha

Predatory

Pinnipeds

Cetaceans

Artiodactyls

Odd-toed ungulates

Primates

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