Mammals

Classification

Kingdom Animalia
----Phylum Chordata
------Subphylum Vertebrata
---------Class Mammalia

About 16 Orders in three groups

Egg-Laying Mammals, Pouched Mammals, Placental mammals

 

Characteristics

  • Hair
  • Endothermy
  • 4 chambered heart
  • Diaphragm (muscle to aid breathing)
  • Most nourished by a placenta
  • Mammary glands produce milk

Gestation - length of time within the uterus (9 months for humans)

Weaning - time at which young stop drinking milk

Marsupials - Order Marsupiala

Most groups live in Australia - mainly because Australia split from the main continent and became isolated, the species there are almost all marsupials, though humans have "imported" other groups now

Opossum - the only marsupial that exists naturally outside of Australia

Some Australian Marsupials

Kangaroo

Wombat

Phalanger

 Koala

Convergent Evolution - marsupials and placentals resemble each other because they evolved in similar habitats, thus having adaptations for similar lifestyles.

 

 

 

Don't forget to study your chart on the mammal orders and their characteristics!