Portal:Mammals

The Mammals portal A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (/məˈmeɪli.ə/). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones. These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds, from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,400 extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 29 orders. The largest orders of mammals, by number of species, are the rodents, bats, and Eulipotyphla (including hedgehogs, moles and shrews). The next three are the primates (including humans, monkeys and lemurs), the even-toed ungulates (including pigs, camels, and whales), and the Carnivora (including cats, dogs, and seals). Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida; this clade, together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes the larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as "pelycosaurs". The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Middle Permian. Mammals originated from cynodonts, an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Paleogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, and have been the dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present. The basic mammalian body type is quadruped, and most mammals use their four extremities for terrestrial locomotion; but in some, the extremities are adapted for life at sea, in the air, in trees, underground, or on two legs. Mammals range in size from the 30–40 mm (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 m (98 ft) blue whale—possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale. All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals. The most species-rich group of mammals, the infraclass called placentals, have a placenta, which enables the feeding of the fetus during gestation. Most mammals are intelligent, with some possessing large brains, self-awareness, and tool use. Mammals can communicate and vocalize in several ways, including the production of ultrasound, scent-marking, alarm signals, singing, echolocation; and, in the case of humans, complex language. Mammals can organize themselves into fission–fusion societies, harems, and hierarchies—but can also be solitary and territorial. Most mammals are polygynous, but some can be monogamous or polyandrous. Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the Neolithic Revolution, and resulted in farming replacing hunting and gathering as the primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first civilizations. Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food (meat and dairy products), fur, and leather. Mammals are also hunted and raced for sport, kept as pets and working animals of various types, and are used as model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in art since Paleolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and extinction of many mammals is primarily driven by human poaching and habitat destruction, primarily deforestation. (Full article...) Selected article Homo floresiensis ("Man of Flores", nicknamed Hobbit) is the name for a possible species in the genus Homo, remarkable for its small body, small brain, and survival until relatively recent times. Anthropologists Peter Brown, Michael Morwood, and their colleagues have argued that a variety of features, both primitive and derived, identified the skeleton of LB1 as that of a new species of hominin, H. floresiensis. It is thought to have been contemporaneous with modern humans (Homo sapiens) on the Indonesian island of Flores. One largely complete sub-fossil skeleton (LB1) and one molar (LB2), dated at 18,000 years old, were discovered in deposits in Liang Bua Cave on Flores in 2003. Parts of seven other individuals (LB3 – LB9, the most complete being LB6), all diminutive, have been recovered as well as similarly small stone tools from horizons ranging from 94,000 to 13,000 years ago. The first of these remains was unearthed in 2003 and the publication date of the original description is October 2004. Early doubts that the discoveries constitute a new species were voiced by the Indonesian anthropologist Teuku Jacob, who suggested that the skull of LB1 was a microcephalic modern human, but support for species status appeared in March 2005, following publication of details of the brain of Flores Man in Science. Subsequently several researchers, including one scientist who worked on the initial study, have disputed the 2005 study, supporting the conclusion that the skull is microcephalic. Did you know? ...that one burrow of the eastern chipmunk (pictured) was found to contain 390 acorns? .. that the Hare Indian dog, now extinct, was not known to bark, but puppies learned to imitate the barking of other dogs when the breed was introduced to Europe? ... that the rodents Thomasomys ucucha from Ecuador and Oxymycterus hucucha from Bolivia were both named after the local Quechua word for "mouse"? ...that the incisors of blesmols are visible even when their mouths are closed? ... that the pebble-mound mice of northern Australia construct mounds of stones around their burrows up to 10 m2 in area? ... that the stationmaster of the Kinokawa train station in Kinokawa, Japan was a cat named Tama? Related portals Selected images Topi Photograph: Charles J. Sharp Female topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. A subspecies of the common tsessebe antelope, the topi is native to several countries in eastern Africa and lives primarily in grassland habitats, ranging from treeless plains to savannas. It is a tall species, with individuals ranging in height from 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 in) at the shoulder. Predators of topi include lions and spotted hyenas, with jackals being predators of newborns. Southern plains grey langur Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp The southern plains gray langur (Semnopithecus dussumieri) is a species of Old World monkey native to the Indian subcontinent. It is about 62 cm (24 in) tall and lives in groups in various forest habitats, feeding mainly on leaves, fruit and flowers in the canopy, supplementing these with insects, gum, grasses, herbs and roots. The monkeys are considered sacred in India, and some are used by Hindu priests for religious purposes. They have adapted to living in close proximity to humans in urban settings; they are often fed by humans and accept cakes, millet, and other foods. The species is protected by law in India, but some are still persecuted for damaging crops, hunted for food and captured for pets. This photograph of a female southern plains gray langur was taken in Kanha Tiger Reserve, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The park was created on 1 June 1955 and was designated a tiger reserve in 1973. Common wombat Photo: JJ Harrison The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is one of three species of wombat. It is native to south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania, and grows to an average of 98 cm (39 in) long and a weight of 26 kg (57 lb). It is solitary and lives in an underground burrow. Parma Wallaby Photo credit: Benjamint444 A female Parma Wallaby (Macropus parma) and her joey. This wallaby species is the smallest member of the genus Macropus, at between 3.2 and 5.8 kilograms (7.1 and 12.8 lb) and about 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) in length. It was believed to be extinct before the end of the 19th century, but a population was found on Kawau Island in 1965, and two years later another population was found in the forests near Gosford, New South Wales. They are now classified as Near Threatened. Sheep Photograph: Keith Weller/Agricultural Research Service Sheep are quadrupedal ruminants, typically kept as livestock. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it generally refers to Ovis aries. One of the first animals to be domesticated, sheep are likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia. They are raised for their fleece, meat, and milk. Burchell's zebra Photograph: Yathin S Krishnappa A Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) in Etosha National Park, Namibia. This zebra is a southern subspecies of the plains zebra. It is said to have once had an impressive population, but went extinct in the wild by 1910. Northern palm squirrel Photograph credit: Charles James Sharp The northern palm squirrel (Funambulus pennantii) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It has a wide distribution in the Indian subcontinent and Iran, being a semi-arboreal species found in dry deciduous forest and many other rural and urban habitats. It is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of least concern. This northern palm squirrel was photographed in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Groundhog Photograph: Cephas Groundhogs (Marmota monax) are rodents in the family Sciuridae. They belong to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. This lowland creature is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States and Canada. Although considered by farmers to be a nuisance, groundhogs have become part of popular culture through Groundhog Day and the film of the same name. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve Photograph credit: Stephenekka The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is the largest national park in the state of Maharashtra in central India. Most of the reserve consists of natural dry deciduous forests, however parts have been cleared for firewood or grazing land. Besides tigers, there are Indian leopards, sloth bears, gaurs, nilgais, dholes, striped hyenas, small Indian civets, jungle cats, sambars, muntjacs, chitals, chousinghas and honey badgers. There are also villages in the reserve, and although cattle grazing is not allowed in the core zone, some livestock inevitably stray inside. In 2013, at least four people and thirty to fifty cattle were killed by leopards, tigers and sloth bears. This picture shows a Bengal tigress named Maya photographed in the reserve. Lar gibbon Photograph: JJ Harrison The lar gibbon (Hylobates lar) is a primate found in South-East Asia. This endangered gibbon species is primarily a frugivore, but may also feed on leaves, flowers, and insects. This specimen was photographed in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi, Thailand. Eastern Barred Bandicoot Photo: JJ Harrison The Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunni) is a small, rabbit-sized marsupial native to Australia and Tasmania. It weighs less than 1 kg (2.2 lb) and has a short tail and three to four whitish bars across the rump. It is classified as Near Threatened, with one subspecies listed as Critically Endangered. Northern Elephant Seals Photo credit: Helen Filatova A group of female Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) moulting on a beach near San Simeon, California. In the summer, elephant seals undergo a catastrophic moult, lasting about one month, during which they lose much of their fur and skin. They spend this time on beaches to preserve body heat, while they wait for the new fur to grow. Proboscis monkey Photograph credit: Charles James Sharp The proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) is endemic to the island of Borneo, where it is found predominantly in coastal areas, near rivers and in swamp forests. It is perhaps the most aquatic of the primates and is a fairly good swimmer, capable of swimming underwater; apart from this, it is largely arboreal. This image is a composite of three photographs and shows a proboscis monkey jumping between trees in Labuk Bay in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Black rhinoceros Photo: Jebulon The skull of a black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), a critically endangered species of rhinoceros native to eastern and central Africa. The two horns on the skull are made of keratin, with the larger front horn typically 50 cm (20 in) long. Sometimes, a third, smaller horn may develop. Eastern Gray Squirrel Photo credit: Diliff An Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) eating a nut in St. James's Park, London. Although native to eastern North America, the species has been introduced into a variety of locations. In England, gray squirrels have mostly replaced native Red Squirrels and have no natural predators, which has added to their rapid population growth and has led to the species being classed as a pest. Scientific classification Kingdom→ Animalia   Phylum→ Chordata   Subphylum→ Vertebrata   Superclass→ Tetrapoda   (unranked)→ Amniota   Class→ Mammalia Subclasses and Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria * Member of a haplogroup and not any of its subclades. † Taxon is extinct. Topics Subcategories Category puzzle Select [►] to view subcategories Mammals Mammals by adaptation Mammals by classification Mammals by location Mammals by year of formal description Individual mammals Lists of mammals Mammal anatomy Mammal behavior Mammal common names Mammal conservation Mammal ecology Evolution of mammals Extinct mammals Mammal genetics Mammal health Mammalian hormones Mammals and humans Mammal images Mammal redirects Milk Mammal pest control Reproduction in mammals Songs about mammals Mammal taxa Ungulates Mammal stubs Quality content Featured articles Alcathoe bat Alpine ibex Ambondro mahabo Ambulocetus Baleen whale Bat Beaver Bharattherium Blue whale Bluebuck Bobcat Camas pocket gopher Canada lynx Catopsbaatar Columbian mammoth Cougar Cryptoprocta spelea Dermotherium Dire wolf Durrell's vontsira Elephant Elk Escalera's bat European hare Evolution of lemurs Ferugliotheriidae Ferugliotherium Flocke Fossa (animal) Giant anteater Giant eland Giant otter Giraffe Golden jackal Hartebeest Hippopotamus Homo antecessor Horseshoe bat Humpback whale Impala Jaguar Javan rhinoceros Knut (polar bear) Koala Lavanify Lion Livyatan Marcus Ward Lyon Jr. Meerkat Manor Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins Megabat Miniopterus aelleni Miniopterus griveaudi North Ronaldsay sheep Orca Paraceratherium Pennatomys Pinniped Pipistrellus raceyi Platypus Plesiorycteropus Polar bear Primate Pygmy hippopotamus Quagga Raccoon Red panda Right whale Rodent Sea mink Sea otter Sheep Short-beaked echidna Smilodon South Asian river dolphin Springbok Steller's sea cow Sumatran rhinoceros Tammar wallaby Tasmanian devil Taxonomy of lemurs Thylacine Transandinomys Triaenops menamena Wolf Woolly mammoth Zebra Featured lists List of cetaceans List of mammals of Florida List of afrosoricids List of artiodactyls List of bovids List of canids List of carnivorans List of cercopithecoids List of cervids List of cingulates List of dasyuromorphs List of didelphimorphs List of diprotodonts List of erinaceids List of felids List of fruit bats List of herpestids List of hominoids List of lagomorphs List of leporids List of lorisoids List of macropodiformes List of macroscelids List of mammals of Korea List of mephitids List of mustelids List of ochotonids List of peramelemorphs List of perissodactyls List of phalangeriformes List of pilosans List of pinnipeds List of platyrrhines List of primates List of procyonids List of scandentians List of suines List of tarsiiformes List of ursids List of viverrids Featured topics Lagomorphs Mesozoic mammals of Madagascar Oryzomys Primates Transandinomys Voalavo Featured pictures File:07. Camel Profile, near Silverton, NSW, 07.07.2007.jpg File:2010-kodiak-bear-1.jpg File:2012-bb-jackal-1.jpg File:Aepyceros melampus petersi female 8014.jpg File:African Bush Elephant.jpg File:African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) male with cattle egret.jpg File:African elephant warning raised trunk.jpg File:Albino Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus.jpg File:Antarctic Sound-2016-Brown Bluff–Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) 04.jpg File:Antarctic Sound-2016-Brown Bluff–Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) 05.jpg File:Antidorcas marsupialis 2.jpg File:Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) female 3 crop.jpg File:Bison skull pile edit.jpg File:Blue Wildebeest, Ngorongoro.jpg File:Bos grunniens at Letdar on Annapurna Circuit.jpg File:Bos grunniens at Yundrok Yumtso Lake.jpg File:BrownSpiderMonkey (edit2).jpg File:CH cow 2.jpg File:California sea lion in La Jolla (70568).jpg File:Cattle tyrant (Machetornis rixosa) on Capybara.jpg File:Cervus canadensis nannodes at Tomales Point.jpg File:Charolais cattle, Sierra Nevada, Venezuela.jpg File:Cheetah Brothers AdF.jpg File:Cheetahs on the Edge (Director's Cut).ogv File:Chipmunk with stuffed cheeks in Prospect Park (05980).jpg File:Choloepus hoffmanni (Puerto Viejo, CR) crop.jpg File:Common seal (Phoca vitulina) 2.jpg File:Cow giving birth, in Laos (step by step).jpg File:Cynomys ludovicianus GNP 21.jpg File:Drymoreomys albimaculatus 002.jpg File:Endangered arctic - starving polar bear.jpg File:Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) female 1.jpg File:European bison (Bison bonasus) male Białowieza.jpg File:Felis silvestris silvestris.jpg File:Female impala.jpg File:Fighting impalas edit2.jpg File:Five-striped palm squirrel (Funambulus pennantii).jpg File:Galerella sanguinea Zoo Praha 2011-2.jpg File:Gemsbok (Oryx gazella) male.jpg File:Giraffa camelopardalis head (Profil).jpg File:Giraffe Mikumi National Park.jpg File:Haeckel Chiroptera.jpg File:Hippo pod edit.jpg File:Horse anatomy.svg File:Humpbackwhale singing.webm File:Impala mutualim with birds wide.jpg File:Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) 4.jpg File:Jaguar (Panthera onca palustris) male Three Brothers River 2.jpg File:Koala climbing tree.jpg File:Lama glama Laguna Colorada 2.jpg File:Lion (Panthera leo) male 6y.jpg File:LutraCanadensis fullres.jpg File:MC Drei-Finger-Faultier.jpg File:Macrocranion tupaiodon 01.jpg File:Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus Bruny.jpg File:Marmota monax UL 04.jpg File:Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg File:Mud Cow Racing - Pacu Jawi - West Sumatra, Indonesia.jpg File:Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) male.jpg File:Oryctolagus cuniculus Tasmania 2.jpg File:Panthera tigris tigris Tidoba 20150306.jpg File:Perameles gunni.jpg File:Plains Zebra Equus quagga.jpg File:Red Panda (24986761703).jpg File:Red Panda.JPG File:Red-tailed squirrel (Sciurus granatensis chrysuros) male Caldas.jpg File:Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus koba).jpg File:Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) 2.jpg File:Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) adult male.jpg File:Sea otter nursing02.jpg File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Ursa Major.jpg File:Sonoma chipmunk at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.jpg File:South-western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis occidentalis) female.jpg File:Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta).jpg File:The Monarch of the Glen, Edwin Landseer, 1851.png File:Thylogale billardierii.jpg File:Topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) female.jpg File:Tragelaphus strepsiceros ♂ (head).jpg File:Ugandan kobs (Kobus kob thomasi) female and calf.jpg File:Vombatus ursinus -Maria Island National Park.jpg File:Xerus inauris.jpg File:Zebra portrait.jpg Good articles Acrophyseter Addax African wild dog Alpine pika Amami rabbit Animal echolocation Anoplotherium Apeomyoides Ardipithecus ramidus Argentodites Arktocara Aurochs Australopithecus deyiremeda Australopithecus garhi Australopithecus sediba Azilestes Banteng Bare-tailed woolly opossum Bat virome Bay duiker Bear Beaver drop Big brown bat Billy (pygmy hippo) Binky (polar bear) Black-footed cat Black-tailed jackrabbit Black wildebeest Blackbuck Blue duiker Blue wildebeest Bohor reedbuck Boreray sheep Bottlenose dolphin Bovidae Bramble Cay melomys Brown bear Brygmophyseter California sea lion Campbell's dwarf hamster Canidae Capybara Castorocauda Cat Cattle Cheetah Chororapithecus Christmas Island flying fox Cinnamon red bat Clouded leopard Common eland Common vampire bat Coyote Pigs in culture Dark long-tongued bat Dibatag Dimetrodon Diplobune Diprotodon Doedicurus Domestication of the sheep Dromedary Dryopithecus Dugong Dusky dolphin Dwarf dog-faced bat Dwarf sperm whale Egyptian fruit bat Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus Enhydriodon Equus (genus) Ethiopian hare Ethiopian highland hare European polecat Evolution of cetaceans False killer whale Ferret-legging Fisher (animal) Flea Forrest's pika Four-horned antelope Fraternal fruit-eating bat Galulatherium Geoffroy's spider monkey Giant golden-crowned flying fox Giant panda Gigantopithecus Glover's pika Glyptodon Glyptotherium Great flying fox Grévy's zebra Guano Hammer-headed bat Herdwick Herto Man Heuglin's gazelle Hipposideros besaoka Homo rudolfensis Homo ergaster Homo habilis Homo heidelbergensis Honduran white bat Horse Human Idaho pocket gopher Indian flying fox Indian rhinoceros Inyo shrew Isalo serotine Jacob sheep Jaguarundi Janjucetus Japanese serow Josephoartigasia Jungle cat Kenyanthropus Kitti's hog-nosed bat Klipspringer Kogia pusilla LACM 149371 Lagrivea Laomaki Large Black Least weasel Leopard Lesser kudu Little brown bat Malagasy hippopotamus Mammal Manavi long-fingered bat Marine mammal Marsh shrew Meerkat Megaherbivore Mesozoic mammals of Madagascar Microgale macpheei Miniopterus brachytragos Miniopterus mahafaliensis Miniopterus tao Miniopterus zapfei Mixtotherium Monk seal Mountain nyala Muskrat Nakalipithecus Narwhal Natal red rock hare Nilgai Nyala Ocelot Ocepeia Okapi Orcinus citoniensis Oribi Ortotherium Panthera onca mesembrina Paranthropus Paranthropus aethiopicus Paranthropus boisei Paranthropus robustus Paratheria (mammals) Pig Pilot whale Plains zebra Porpoise Pteropus Pubal Pudu Pygmy three-toed sloth Quoll Red fox Reigomys Rhinogradentia Rice's whale River dolphin Royal antelope Saadanius Sei whale Serval Setirostris Shetland sheep Sirenia Sitatunga Six-banded armadillo Smith's red rock hare Snow leopard Spectral bat Spotted hyena Stellaluna Stotting Sun bear Swift fox Tamaraw Thalassocnus Tiger Trapalcotherium Triaenops goodmani Tricolored bat Tupaia miocenica Turkestan red pika UA 8699 Veratalpa Vietnam mouse-deer Walrus Waterbuck Whale White-lipped peccary Wildebeest William Windsor (goat) Winter white dwarf hamster Yarkand hare Yellow-bellied marmot Yunnan hare Zygophyseter Pallas's cat Sand cat Asiatic cheetah Scimitar oryx Moupin pika WikiProjects Biology Tree of Life Plants Arthropods Cephalopods Gastropods Fishes Amphibians and Reptiles Birds Mammals WikiProject Mammals Bats task force WikiProject Dogs WikiProject Dog breeds WikiProject Rodents WikiProject Cats WikiProject Equine WikiProject Horse breeds WikiProject Cetaceans WikiProject Primates WikiProject Monotremes and Marsupials Viruses A complete list of scientific WikiProjects can be found here. See also Wikispecies, a Wikimedia project dedicated to classification of biological species. Things to do Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Article requests : Missing mammal species articles – Create a new article Cleanup : Cleanup listing for WikiProject Mammals – Functional list of mammal articles that need improvements Photo : Mammal articles without images – Upload and/or add images to articles Stubs : Expand Stub-Class mammal articles External media Wilson & Reeders Mammal Species of the World – from Bucknell University Mammal Species of the World – from National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Associated Wikimedia The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject: Commons Free media repository Wikibooks Free textbooks and manuals Wikidata Free knowledge base Wikinews Free-content news Wikiquote Collection of quotations Wikisource Free-content library Wikispecies Directory of species Wikiversity Free learning tools Wiktionary Dictionary and thesaurus Discover Wikipedia using portals List of all portals The arts portal Biography portal Current events portal Geography portal History portal Mathematics portal Science portal Society portal Technology portal Random portal WikiProject Portals