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Class Mammalia Notes
Class Mammalia Notes
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
FIRST SEMESTER 2019/2020
Their size range from the tiny pygmy shrew weighing 2.8 g, to the blue
whales weighing about 170 metric tonnes. Fig. 1 showed some examples of
mammals. These include elephant, kangaroo, lion, man, and whale.
Some are active during the day (diurnal), or at night (nocturnal). Some
are active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
• The structure of the skull roof shows three groups of amniotes that diverged in the
Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era. These are:
• Synapsids: (Greek: synapsis = contact, union) includes mammals and ancestors that
have a pair of temporal openings in the skull for attachment of jaw muscles. They
were the first to diversify into terrestrial habitats.
• Anapsid: (Greek: an = without, and apsis = arch). They are extinct amniotes in which
the skull lacked temporal openings; they had solid skulls.
• Diapsid: (Greek: di = two, + apsis = arch). Amniotes in which the skull bears two pairs
of openings (have two pairs of temporal openings in the skull). Examples of diapsids
are avian (birds), and nonavian reptiles (excluding turtles) such as dinosaurs, lizards,
snakes, and crocodiles.
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CLASS MAMMALIA CONTINUED
Unique Characteristics
Mammals are characterized by the presence of:
1. Hairs on the skin which is an epidermal structure. For most
mammals such as sheep, goat, lion, and dogs, most of their
body is covered with hair. Marine mammals like dolphins and
whales do not have hair on their body. Freshwater mammals
like manatee also do not have hair on their body, but the hair is
reduced to whiskers (vibrissae) around the mouth.
2. Brain that is highly developed, especially the cerebral cortex).
3. Three middle ear bones for conducting sound. These are:
a. Malleus (hammer) is the outermost of these bones,
b. Incus (anvil) located between malleus and stapes; and
c. Stapes (stirrup) which is the smallest of the three bones.
4. Females mammals glands which produce and secrete milk for
feeding of young ones.
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CLASS MAMMALIA CONTINUED
Subclass 1: Prototheria
Order Monotremata: has 2 Families that are oviparous.They lay
eggs with leathery shells, and nourish young with milk from
rudimentary mammary glands. Examples: Echnidia (Tachyglossus
aculeatus) and Duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).
Subclass 2: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria (Marsupial mammals) or viviparous
pouched mammals
Order: Marsupialia: They have abdominal pouch (marsupium)
where they rear their young (joey). Examples: kangaroos, koalas,
Tasmanian wolves, and bandicoots.
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Class Mammalia Classification Continued
Infraclass Eutheria: Viviparous placental mammals
Order: Insectivora: Insect eating mammals. Example: moles
Order: Chiroptera: Bats
Order Xenarthra: E.g Armadillos, anteaters
Order Pholidota: E.g. Pangolins
Order Rodentia: E.g. Squirrels, rats, mice, porcupines, carpybara,
guinea pigs
Order Cetacea: E.g. Dolphins, whales.
Order Dermoptera:
Order Scandentia:
Order Sirenia: E.g. Dugong, manatea
Order Carnivora: Flesh eating mammals. E.g. bears, cats, dogs, wolves
Order Lagomorpha: E.g Hare, rabbit
Order Proboscidea: E.g. Elephants
Order Perissodactyla: E.g. Donkeys, Horses and Zebras
Order Artiodactyla: E.g. Antelopes, camels, cattles, deer, goats, sheep
Order Primates: E.g. Chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, and humans
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STRUCTURAL & FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATIONS OF
MAMMALS
1. Integument and derivatives
Integument is external covering or enveloping layer.
Skin: Mammalian skin is the interface between the animal and its
environment. It is thicker in mammals than other vertebrate classes.
It is made up of epidermis and dermis. Epidermis is thinner and
protected by hair, but could be thicker and hairless when subject to
much contact and use: palms and soles.
Differentiated teeth are called heterodont. There are four types of teeth in mammals:
Incisors (for biting or snipping), canines (for piercing), premolars and molars (for
shearing, slicing, crushing, or grinding).
Mammals do not continuously replace their teeth as other vertebrates do. Rather most
mammals grow two sets of teeth: temporary set (deciduous, or milk), which is replaced by
permanent set when the skull can accommodate a full set. Only incisors, canine and
premolars are deciduous. ZLY 211 GENERAL ZOOLOGY NOTE:
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ADAPTATIONS CONTINUED
4. Reproduction
Reproductive Cycles
Most mammals have definite mating season so that they can have their young at the
most favourable time (food and weather).
Many males are fertile at any time, but female fertility is restricted to a specific time
in their oestrous cycle. Females are receptive to males only during a brief period in
the cycle, called heat of oestrous.
Monoestous females have a single heat during their breeding season. E.g dogs, foxes,
and bats.
Polyoestrous females have recurrence of oestrous during their breeding season. E.g.
are mice, rats, squirrels, with many that live in the tropics.
Old World monkeys and humans have menstrual cycle that terminates with
menstruation if fertilization does not take place.