5 ORDERS OF CLASS MAMMALIA
ORDER CARNIVORA (bears, cats, dogs):
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ORDER PRIMATE (chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan):
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ORDER ATRIODACTYLA (even toed ungulates):
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ORDER PROBOSCIDEA (elephants):
- the largest animals on land.
- Elephants are strictly herbivorous and most of the work is done by the massive pair of molars on each jaw
- They have some fearsome looking tusks that are used for defense ( and offense if need be). These tusks are also used to dig for tubers, and scrape bark off trees.
- fusion of the upper lip and nose helps use it to get food into their mouths. Elephants use this trunk as a giant handheld shower and also use it to put water into their mouths
- Very thick skin
- An elephant's ears are made of very thin layers of skin and a lot of blood vessels radiate in this area so that by flapping their ears the blood can cool a little
- The area between and behind the toes is made up of rounded and cushioned tissue. The legs are like pillars to enable the animal to stand for long periods without tiring
ORDER LAGOMORPHA (hares and rabbits):
- All lagomorphs are herbivores, which has shaped features of skull and dentition
- large ears
- generally hair on the soles of the feet,
- second peg-like upper incisor behind the primary incisor, a single layer of enamel in the front incisors, lack of canine teeth
- provide a very important food resource for numerous mammals
- They have long fur
- have long legs, large hind feet, and have added strength and lightness in their legs
- Lagormorphs do not hibernate and are active year round.
- Lagomorphs inhabit a variety of habitats, including rock and boulder fields, meadow, steppe, shrub, arctic tundra, savanna, desert, forest, and agricultural pasture.
- Lagomorphs have a very large digestive system that allows them to digest the difficult-to-digest plant matter that they subsist on.
- The caecum may be up to ten times the size of stomach and hosts numerous microorganisms that can help break down the plant material and produce various vitamins and proteins