Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida; this clade, together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes the larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as "pelycosaurs." The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Guadalupian. Mammals originated from cynodonts, an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Paleogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, and have been the dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present.
The basic mammalian body type is quadrupedal, with most mammals using four limbs for terrestrial locomotion; but in some, the limbs are adapted for life at sea, in the air, in trees or underground. The bipeds have adapted to move using only the two lower limbs, while the rear limbs of cetaceans and the sea cows are mere internal vestiges. Mammals range in size from the 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 metres (98 ft) blue whale—possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale. All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes, which lay eggs. The most species-rich group is the viviparousplacental mammals, so named for the temporary organ (placenta) used by offspring to draw nutrition from the mother during gestation.
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...)
The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is a species of the family Rhinocerotidae, and one of five extant rhinoceri. It is the smallest rhinoceros, standing about 120–145 centimetres (3.9–4.8 ft) high at the shoulder, with a body length of 250 centimetres (98 in) and weight of 500–800 kilograms (1100–1760 lb). Like its African counterparts, the black and white rhinoceri, it has two horns; the larger is the nasal horn, typically 15–25 centimetres (6–10 in), while the other is typically a stub. A coat of reddish-brown hair covers most of the rhino's body. Members of the species once ranged throughout rainforests, swamps and cloud forests in India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They are now critically endangered, with only six substantial populations in the wild: four on Sumatra, one on Borneo, and one on peninsular Malaysia. Their numbers are difficult to determine because they are solitary animals that are widely scattered across their range, but they are estimated to number around just 300. The decline in the number of Sumatran rhinoceri is attributed primarily to poaching for their ivory horns, which are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine, fetching as much as US$30,000 per kilogram on the black market. The rhinos have also suffered from habitat loss as their forests have been cleared for lumber and conversion to agriculture.
...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?
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae. This photograph shows a leopard devouring an impala in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Compared to other wild cats, the leopard has a relatively large skull with powerful jaws, a long body and short legs. It can climb trees very skilfully, often rests on tree branches and can descend to the ground head first. An adult leopard is strong enough to drag a carcass heavier than itself up into a tree, where the prey may be eaten straight away or cached to be consumed later.
Skull of a male North Sulawesi babirusa, a species from the pig family endemic to Indonesia. Babirusas are notable for the long upper canines in the males that emerge vertically from the alveolar process, penetrating though the skin and curving backward over the front of the face and towards the forehead.
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) is a small mammal averaging about 1 lb (1/2 kg) in weight and about 20 in (500 mm) in length. Found in southern Africa, it lives in flat areas ranging from semi-desertscrubland to grasslands. This carnivorous species lives in colonies of up to 20 individuals.
A portrait of an African elephant, highlighting its trunk. The trunk, which contains some 150,000 muscle fascicles, is a fusion of the nose and upper lip with a unique nerve running along both sides. An elephant can use its trunk for power functions, such as lifting up to 350 kg (770 lb), or more delicate functions, such as wiping its eye.
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.
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.
A tabby is any cat that has a distinctive coat that features stripes, dots, lines or swirling patterns, usually together with a mark resembling an "M" on its forehead. Tabbies are not a cat breed, but a coat pattern found in many breeds of cat, as well as among the general mixed-breed population. The tabby pattern may be related to the coloration of the domestic cat's direct ancestor, the African Wildcat, which (along with the European Wildcat and Asiatic Wildcat) has a similar coloration. There are four genetically distinct tabby patterns: mackerel (shown here), classic, spotted, and ticked.
The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa. It has been widely introduced to countries on all continents with the exception of Antarctica and Sub-Saharan Africa, often with devastating effects on local biodiversity. In Australia particularly, twelve pairs of rabbits introduced in 1859 became millions in just ten years, the fastest spread ever recorded of any mammal anywhere in the world.
The Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), also known as the Spiny Anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna. The species is found throughout Australia, where it is the most widespread native mammal, and in coastal and highland regions of southwestern New Guinea.
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–750 kilograms (770–1,650 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Polar bears are the largest land carnivores currently in existence, rivalled only by the omnivorous Kodiak bear. Although it is the sister species of the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice and open water, as well as for hunting seals, which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on sea ice. The species's scientific name, which is derived from this fact, means 'maritime bear'. Because of their dependence on sea ice, polar bears are categorized as marine mammals. Due to expected habitat loss caused by global warming, the polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species. For decades, large-scale hunting raised international concern for the future of the species, but populations have rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect.
Close-up of a juvenile Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina), showing face and mouth detail. This species of elephant seal is not only the most massive pinniped, but also the largest member of the order Carnivora living today. It is found throughout the subantarctic region.
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