Mammal Characteristics
What does the latin term "mamma" mean?
breast
True or False: Mammals can be hermaphroditic
false
How many species of mammals are there?
6500
What type of teeth are used for grinding food?
molars and premolars
Name 2 ways mammals positively impact humans
service animals, transportation, education, companionship, etc..
blue whale
What reproductive strategy do monotremes use?
egg laying, oviparity
What is hair/fur made out of?
keratin
Which sense is most well developed in mammals?
smell
How do mammals spread seeds?
eating fruits and pooping seeds, seeds getting stuck on fur
hair/fur and milk production
What is the difference between placental animals and marsupials?
placental- long gestation, birth developed young
marsupial- short gestation, birth immature young
When did the dinosaurs go extinct?
65 million years ago
What do kidneys produce in mammals after filtering the blood of nitrogenous waste and excess salt and water?
Name 3 different animals in a food chain that occupy different ecological niches
prey- mice
scavenger- coyote
predator- bear
What are the two types of thermoregulation in animals? Which one do mammals fall under? And give an example of an animal that has the other type.
ectothermic and endothermic
mammals are endothermic
reptiles are ectothermic
What mammal has the longest gestation period and how long is it?
elephant, 22 months
Placental mammals make up how many orders?
20
How many chambers does a mammalian heart have? What is the difference in heart rate between small and large animals?
4, smaller animals have a faster heart rate compared to large animals
Difference between a carnivore and herbivore digestion and why
carnivore- simple short intestine, protein easy to digest
herbivore- complex and long, cellulose hard to break down
Define endothermy
Endothermic (warm-blooded): they generate their own body heat and maintain a constant body temperature independent of their environment
Name at least 3 functions of the placenta and why are humans born altricial compared to most precocial mammal offspring?
pass nutrients, oxygen, and antibodies, and humans spend more time developing the brain compared to any motor skills and are born smaller
Name 3 functions of hair on mammals, and an example of each
insulation- horse winter coat
sensory- whiskers
communication- raised hackles on dog
What is the most well developed part of the brain in mammals and what 3 functions is it responsible for?
cerebrum, voluntary movements, sensory perception, and intelligence
Name two different kinds of diets mammals can have that aren't carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore, and give an example of each
frugivore- fruit eating, bat
insectivore- bug eating, anteater
sanguinivore- blood eating, vampire bat
folivore- leaf eating, sloth
piscivore- fish eating, sea lion