What environments do mammals live in? Class Mammals, or animals. digestive system. breath. origin of mammals. the importance of mammals and the protection of useful animals. Major orders of placental mammals

The ancestors of ancient mammals were animal-toothed reptiles. They are so named because they had a structure of teeth similar to mammals. In the course of evolution, a group of small animals separated from them, outwardly resembling egg-laying ones. In the process of natural selection, these animals developed a more developed brain, and, consequently, they were more complex behavior. At the end of the Mesozoic, after the extinction of the dinosaurs, ancient mammals mastered various places habitats in terrestrial ecosystems.

Representatives of the class Mammals, or Beasts, are higher vertebrates, warm-blooded animals, whose body is covered with wool. Animals give birth to cubs and feed them with milk. They have a large brain with well-developed forebrain hemispheres. They are characterized by care for offspring and the most complex behavior. In the process of evolution, mammals have reached a huge diversity in connection with the formation of adaptations to different living conditions. About 4,000 are known. modern species.

When determining mammals, one should pay attention to: the color of the fur, the shape of the body and head, the length of the body and tail.

• Animals hunting at night usually have large eyes.
• Some animals have large ears to hear better.
• Wool allows the mammal to keep warm; in addition, coloring helps to hide from the eyes of enemies.
• The tail helps the animal to maintain balance. In different animal species, tails vary in length and thickness.
• Most animals have a great sense of smell.
• The shape of the teeth depends on the food to which the animal is accustomed.
• The mustache helps the animal find its way, especially in a dark note.
• The mammary glands produce milk for offspring.
• Powerful aromatic glands under the tail allow the beast to mark the territory.
• The number of fingers on the paws different types different, so the animal is easy to identify by the trail.

The body of mammals consists of a head, neck, trunk, tail and two pairs of limbs. On the head, the facial and cranial regions are distinguished. In front is a mouth surrounded by soft lips. The eyes are protected by movable eyelids. Only mammals have an outer ear - the auricle.

The body of mammals is covered with hair, which reliably protects against sudden changes in temperature. Each hair grows from a hair follicle embedded in the skin. Hair, claws, nails, horns, hooves come from the same skin buds as reptile scales. The skin of mammals is rich in glands. The secretions of the sebaceous glands, located at the base of the hair, lubricate the skin and hair, making them supple and waterproof. The sweat glands are involved in cooling the body and excreting toxic substances. The mammary glands secrete milk.

The limbs of mammals are located not on the sides, as in amphibians and reptiles, but under the body. Therefore, the body is raised above the ground. This makes it easier to move on land.

Musculoskeletal system

The skeleton of mammals, like all terrestrial vertebrates, consists of five sections, but has a number of characteristic features. The skull of the animals is large.

The teeth are differentiated into incisors, canines and molars, they are placed in recesses - alveoli. The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae. Internal organs protects the chest. The sacral region fuses with the bones of the pelvis. The number of vertebrae in the caudal region depends on the length of the tail. The skeleton and the muscles attached to its bones make up a powerful musculoskeletal system, allowing the animal to make many complex movements and actively move.

Respiratory system

In mammals, a diaphragm appears - a muscular septum that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Due to it, animals can further reduce or increase the volume chest.

With intensive muscle work, the body requires a large number of oxygen. In this regard, mammals have well-developed lungs.

Circulatory system

Circulatory system mammals consists of two circles of blood circulation and a four-chambered heart. The movement of arterial and venous blood through the vessels ensures a rapid metabolism, due to which a constant body temperature is maintained.

Digestive system

The digestive system begins with the oral cavity. Here food is crushed, pounded with the help of teeth and moistened with saliva, secreted by me. salivary glands. In animals that feed on coarse plant foods, the stomach consists of several sections, the intestines are long. Various protozoa that decompose plant fiber live in the stomach and intestines.

In predators, the structure of the stomach is simpler and the intestines are shorter. All mammals have a well-developed liver and pancreas.

excretory system

The excretory organs of mammals are two kidneys. The urine formed in them through the ureters enters the urinary bladder, and from there it is periodically excreted.

Litter

Mammals leave litter in any weather. Litter of predators usually has an oblong shape and contains undigested remains of animals; litter of herbivores is most often rounded, with an admixture of vegetable fibers.

Nervous system

High level received development in mammals nervous system especially the brain. In the forebrain, due to the growth and thickening of the cortex, the large hemispheres developed. In predatory mammals and monkeys, the cortex forms convolutions that increase its area. In this regard, animals have a complex behavior, there is a memory, elements of rational activity. They are able to report their condition, intentions, express emotions. The degree of development of the sense organs depends on the lifestyle and habitat of a particular species.

The cubs of most animals develop in the mother's body and are born fully formed. The mother feeds them with milk. Mothers, and sometimes fathers, look after the growing generation and protect it until the cubs can fend for themselves. Cats, foxes and other predators teach their offspring to hunt. In small mammals, for example, in mice, there are several broods per year; offspring stay with their mother for only a few days, after which they begin an independent life.

breastfeeding

Feeding cubs with milk is a very important feature of mammals. Milk has a high nutritional value and contains all the necessary substances for the growth and development of the cub. The color of milk depends on the amount of fat. Fat is part of the milk in the form of microscopic droplets and therefore is easily digested and absorbed in the baby's body.

Ecological groups of mammals

Adaptation to the environment

Depending on the characteristics of the processes of reproduction and development of mammals, they are divided into two subclasses: First beasts and Beasts.

First beasts

Representatives of the first animals lay eggs, which then incubate ( platypus) or worn in a bag on the belly (echidna). Hatching cubs lick the milk that is secreted on the mother's belly.

Beasts

Animals are divided into infraclasses Inferior, or marsupials, and Higher, or Placental.material from the site

marsupials

Marsupials, distributed mainly in Australia, give birth to small and helpless cubs. They are worn by the female in a bag for several months, attached to the nipple of the mammary gland.

Placental

Placentals have a special organ for the development of a fertilized egg - the uterus. The fetus in it is attached to the wall by the placenta and receives nutrients and oxygen from the mother through the umbilical cord.

Among the placental, a special detachment is distinguished Primates. It includes the most developed representatives of the animal world, most of which are monkeys. Humans are also included in this category.

Role in nature

Representatives of mammals differ from each other in their way of life, the type of food they consume, and therefore perform various functions in ecosystems. Herbivorous mammals are the primary consumers organic matter. Predatory beasts contribute to the regulation of the number of herbivorous animals. Many rodents and insectivorous mammals are involved in soil formation. The passages they create in the soil contribute to its enrichment with moisture, air, organic and inorganic substances.

Role in human life

Man began to domesticate mammals and birds about 15 thousand years ago. Probably the first domestic animal was a dog, then a goat, a sheep, and cattle were domesticated. The domestication of animals led to settled life, people began to engage in animal husbandry and agriculture.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

• 4.91. External structure mammal

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  4.92. mammalian skeleton

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  4.93. The circulatory system of a mammal

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  4.94. Digestive, respiratory and excretory systems of a mammal

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  4.95. The mammalian brain

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  4.96. Expression of emotions in a mammal

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  4.97. Representatives of mammals: a) first beasts (echidna); b) lower animals - marsupials (kangaroos)

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  4.98. Supposed appearance ancient mammal

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Quite difficult: different scientists have their own views on which animals belong to a particular order, superorder, clade, group, and all other complex terms that biologists use when unraveling the branches of the tree of life. To simplify the classification a bit, in this article you will discover the alphabetical list and characteristics of the orders of mammals, which most scientists agree with.

Afrosoricidae and insectivores

The order of mammals formerly known as insectivores ( insectivora), has undergone major changes in recent times, dividing into two new orders: insectivores ( Eulipotyphia) and afrosoricides ( Afrosoricida). In the last category are two very obscure creatures: bristly hedgehogs from South Africa and golden moles from Africa and Madagascar.

common tenrec

To the squad Eulipotyphia includes hedgehogs, flint-toothed, shrews and moles. All members of this order (and most afrosoricides) are tiny, narrow-nosed, insectivorous animals whose bodies are covered with thick fur or spines.

Armadillos and edentulous

Nine-banded armadillo

The ancestors of armadillos and edentulous first arose in South America about 60 million years ago. Animals from these orders are characterized unusual shape vertebrae. Sloths, armadillos and anteaters, which belong to the superorder edentulous ( Xenarthra) have the most sluggish metabolism of any other mammal in existence. Males have internal testicles.

Today, these animals are at the edge of the mammal class, but at the time, they were among the largest organisms on Earth, as evidenced by the five-ton prehistoric sloth Megatherium, as well as the two-ton prehistoric armadillo Glyptodon.

rodents

spiny mouse

The most numerous order of mammals, consisting of more than 2000 species, includes squirrels, dormice, mice, rats, gerbils, beavers, ground squirrels, kangaroo jumpers, porcupines, striders and many others. All of these tiny, furry animals have teeth: one pair of incisors in the upper and lower jaws? and a large gap (called a diastema) located between the incisors and molars. The incisors grow continuously and are constantly used to grind food.

hyraxes

Daman Bruce

Hyraxes are fat, short-legged, herbivorous mammals that look a bit like a hybrid of a domestic cat and a rabbit. There are four (according to some sources, five) types of hyraxes: tree hyrax, western hyrax, Cape hyrax and Bruce's hyrax, all of which come from Africa and the Middle East.

One of the most strange features hyraxes is their relative lack of internal temperature regulation; they are warm-blooded, like all mammals, but at night they gather in groups to keep warm, and during the day they warm up in the sun for a long time, like reptiles.

Lagomorphs

Even after centuries of study, scientists are still not sure what to do with hares, rabbits and pikas. These small mammals are similar to rodents, but have some important differences: lagomorphs have four, rather than two, incisors in the upper jaw, and they are also strict vegetarians, while mice, rats and other rodents, as a rule, are.

Lagomorphs can be identified by their short tails, long ears, slit-like nostrils, which they can close, and (in some species) have a pronounced tendency to move around by jumping.

Caguana

Malayan woolly wing

Never heard of kaguans? And this wave is possible, because on our planet there are only two living species of woolly wings that live in the dense jungle South-East Asia. Kaguanas have a wide skin membrane that connects all the limbs, tail and neck, which allows them to glide from one tree to another, at a distance of about 60 m.

Ironically, molecular analysis has shown that caguanas are the closest living relatives of our own order of mammals, the primates, but their rearing behavior is most similar to marsupials!

cetaceans

A detachment of almost a hundred species and divided into two main suborders: toothed whales (including sperm whales, beak-winged, killer whales, as well as dolphins and porpoises) and baleen whales(smooth, gray, pygmy and striped whales).

These mammals are characterized by their flipper-like forelimbs, reduced hind limbs, streamlined bodies, and a massive head that extends into a "beak". The blood of cetaceans is unusually rich in hemoglobin, and this adaptation allows them to stay submerged for long periods of time.

Odd-toed ungulates

Compared to their equivalent artiodactyl cousins, they are a rare order consisting exclusively of horses, zebras, rhinos and tapirs - only about 20 species. They have a characteristic odd number of fingers, as well as a very long intestine and a single-chamber stomach containing specialized ones that help digest tough vegetation. Oddly enough, according to molecular analysis, equid mammals may be more closely related to carnivores (predator order) than to artiodactyl mammals.

Monotreme or oviparous

These are the most bizarre mammals on our planet. Two families belong to: platypus and echidna. The females of these, and do not give birth to live young. Monotremes are also equipped with cloacae (one hole for urination, defecation and reproduction), they are completely toothless and have electroreceptors, thanks to which they can sense weak electrical signals from afar. Scientists believe that monotremes are from an ancestor living in that preceded the split of placental and marsupial mammals, hence their uniqueness.

Pangolins

steppe lizard

Also known as pangolins, pangolins have large, horny, diamond-shaped scales (composed of keratin, the same protein found in human hair) that overlap and cover their bodies. When threatened by predators, these creatures curl into tight balls, and if threatened, they exude a foul-smelling liquid from their anal glands. Pangolins are native to Africa and Asia, and are almost never found in the Western Hemisphere except in zoos.

artiodactyls

Mountain goat

These are placental mammals that have developed third and fourth fingers, covered with a thick horny hoof. Artiodactyls include fauna such as cows, goats, deer, sheep, antelopes, camels, llamas, and pigs, which is about 200 species worldwide. Almost all artiodactyls are herbivorous (with the exception of omnivorous pigs and peccaries); some members of the order, like cows, goats and sheep, are ruminants (mammals equipped with additional stomachs).

Primates

pygmy marmoset

It includes about 400 species and in many respects its representatives can be considered the most "advanced" mammals on the planet, especially in terms of the size of their brains. Non-human primates often form complex social units and are capable of using tools, and some species have dexterous hands and prehensile tails. There is no single feature that defines all primates as a group, but these mammals have common features such as binocular vision, hairline, five-fingered limbs, fingernails, developed cerebral hemispheres, etc.

jumpers

short-eared jumper

Jumpers are small, long-nosed, insectivorous mammals native to Africa. Currently, there are about 16 species of jumpers, which are grouped into 4 genera, such as proboscis dogs, forest jumpers, long-eared jumpers and short-eared jumpers. The classification of these small mammals has been a matter of debate; in the past, they have been presented as close relatives of mammalian ungulates, lagomorphs, insectivores, and arboreal shrews (recent molecular evidence indicates a relationship with elephants).

Bats

Spectacled flying fox

Members of the order are the only mammals that are able to actively fly. The order Chiroptera includes about a thousand species, divided into two main suborders: Megachiroptera(winged) and Microchiroptera(the bats).

fruit bats also known as flying foxes, have a large body size relative to bats, and eat only fruits; bats are much smaller and their diets are more varied, ranging from pasture blood, insects to flower nectar. Most bats, and very few fruit bats, have the ability to echolocate - that is, they pick up high-frequency sound waves from environment to navigate in dark caves and tunnels.

Sirens

The semi-marine mammals known as pinnipeds (including seals, sea lions and walruses) belong to the carnivore order (see below), but dugongs and manatees belong to their own siren order. The name of this unit is associated with the sirens from Greek mythology. Apparently starving Greek sailors mistook dugongs for mermaids!

Sirens are characterized by their lobed tails, almost vestigial hind limbs, and muscular forelimbs, thanks to which they control their bodies underwater. Modern dugongs and manatees have a small body size, however, representatives of a recently extinct family sea ​​cows may have weighed up to 10 tons.

marsupials

An infraclass of mammals that, unlike placental mammals, do not carry their young in the womb, but incubate them in specialized pouches after an extremely short interval of internal gestation. Everyone is familiar with kangaroos, koalas and wombats, but opossums are also marsupials, and for millions of years the largest marsupials on Earth lived in South America.

In Australia, marsupials have managed to outcompete placental mammals for most of the year, with the only exceptions being jerboas that made their way from Southeast Asia, as well as dogs, cats, and livestock introduced to the continent by European settlers.

Aardvarks

Aardvark

The aardvark is the only living species in the order Aardvark. This mammal is characterized by its long snout, arched back and coarse coat, and its diet consists mainly of ants and termites, which it obtains by tearing open insect nests with its long claws.

Aardvarks live in forests and grasslands south of the Sahara, their range extends from southern Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope, in the south of the continent. The closest living relatives of the aardvark are artiodactyls and (somewhat surprisingly) whales!

Tupai

indonesian tupaya

This order includes 20 species of tupai, which are native to rainforest South-East Asia. Representatives of this order are omnivores, and consume everything from insects to small animals, and flowers such as. Ironically, they have the highest brain-to-body ratio of any living mammal (including humans).

Predatory

and domestic cats), but also hyenas, civets and mongooses.

Canids include dogs, wolves, but also bears, raccoons, and a variety of other carnivores, including seals, sea ​​lions and walruses. As you may have guessed, carnivores are characterized by sharp teeth and claws; they also possess at least four toes on each foot.

proboscis

bush elephant

You may be surprised to learn that all the worlds from the detachment are divided into only three types (or two according to some sources): African bush elephant, African forest elephant and Indian elephant.

Mammals are the most highly organized class of vertebrates. They are characterized by a highly developed nervous system (due to an increase in the volume of the cerebral hemispheres and the formation of the cortex); relatively constant body temperature; four-chambered heart; the presence of a diaphragm - a muscular partition separating the abdominal and chest cavities; development of cubs in the mother's body and breastfeeding (see Fig. 85). The body of mammals is often covered with hair. The mammary glands appear as modified sweat glands. The teeth of mammals are peculiar. They are differentiated, their number, form and function differ significantly in different groups and serve as a systematic feature.

The body is divided into head, neck and torso. Many have a tail. Animals have the most perfect skeleton, the basis of which is the spinal column. It is subdivided into 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 6 lumbar, 3-4 sacral fused and caudal vertebrae, the number of the latter is different. Mammals have well-developed sense organs: smell, touch, sight, hearing. There is an auricle. The eyes are protected by two eyelids with eyelashes.

With the exception of oviparous, all mammals carry their young in uterus- a special muscular organ. Cubs are born alive and fed with milk. offspring of mammals more needs more care than other animals.

All of these features allowed mammals to gain a dominant position in the animal kingdom. They are found all over the globe.

The appearance of mammals is very diverse and is determined by the habitat: aquatic animals have a streamlined body shape, flippers or fins; land dwellers - well-developed limbs, dense body. In the inhabitants of the air environment, the front pair of limbs is transformed into wings. A highly developed nervous system allows mammals to better adapt to environmental conditions, contributes to the development of numerous conditioned reflexes.

The mammalian class is divided into three subclasses: oviparous, marsupials, and placentals.

1. Oviparous, or first animals. These animals are the most primitive mammals. Unlike other representatives of this class, they lay eggs, but they feed their young with milk (Fig. 90). They have preserved a cloaca - part of the intestine, where three systems open - digestive, excretory and sexual. Therefore they are also called single pass. In other animals, these systems are separated. Oviparous are found only in Australia. These include only four species: echidnas (three species) and platypus.

2. Marsupials more highly organized, but they are also characterized by primitive features (see Fig. 90). They give birth to live, but underdeveloped cubs, practically embryos. These tiny cubs crawl into the pouch on the mother's belly, where, feeding on her milk, they complete their development.

Rice. 90. Mammals: oviparous: 1 - echidna; 2 - platypus; marsupials: 3 - opossum; 4 - koala; 5 - pygmy marsupial squirrel; 6 - kangaroo; 7 - marsupial wolf

Australia is home to kangaroos, marsupial mice, squirrels, anteaters (nambats), marsupial bears(koala), badgers (wombats). The most primitive marsupials live in Central and South America. This is an opossum, a marsupial wolf.

3. Placental animals have a well developed placenta- an organ that attaches to the wall of the uterus and performs the function of exchanging nutrients and oxygen between the mother's body and the embryo.

Placental mammals are divided into 16 orders. These include insectivores, bats, rodents, lagomorphs, carnivores, pinnipeds, cetaceans, ungulates, proboscis, primates.

Insectivores mammals, which include moles, shrews, hedgehogs, and others, are considered the most primitive among placentals (Fig. 91). They are quite small animals. The number of teeth they have is from 26 to 44, the teeth are undifferentiated.

Bats- the only flying animals among animals. They are mainly crepuscular and nocturnal animals that feed on insects. These include fruit bats, bats, evenings, vampires. Vampires are bloodsuckers, they feed on the blood of other animals. The bats have echolocation. Although their eyesight is poor, due to their well-developed hearing, they pick up the echo from their own squeak, reflected from objects.

rodents- the most numerous detachment among mammals (about 40% of all animal species). These are rats, mice, squirrels, ground squirrels, marmots, beavers, hamsters and many others (see Fig. 91). characteristic feature rodents are well-developed incisors. They do not have roots, grow all their lives, grind down, there are no fangs. All rodents are herbivores.

Rice. 91. Mammals: insectivores: 1 - shrew; 2 - mole; 3 - tupaya; rodents: 4 - jerboa, 5 - marmot, 6 - nutria; lagomorphs: 7 - hare, 8 - chinchilla

Close to rodents detachment lagomorphs(see fig. 91). They have a similar structure of teeth, and also eat plant foods. These include hares and rabbits.

To the squad predatory belongs to more than 240 animal species (Fig. 92). Their incisors are poorly developed, but there are powerful fangs and predatory teeth used to tear apart the meat of animals. Predators feed on animal and mixed food. The detachment is divided into several families: canine (dog, wolf, fox), bear ( polar bear, Brown bear), feline (cat, tiger, lynx, lion, cheetah, panther), mustelids (marten, mink, sable, ferret), etc. Some predators are characterized by hibernation(the Bears).

pinnipeds are also carnivores. They have adapted to life in the water and have specific features: streamlined body, limbs turned into flippers. The teeth are poorly developed, with the exception of the fangs, so they only grab food and swallow it without chewing. They are excellent swimmers and divers. They feed mainly on fish. They breed on land, along the shores of the seas or on ice floes. The order includes seals, walruses, seals, sea lions, etc. (see Fig. 92).

Rice. 92. Mammals: carnivores: 1 - sable; 2 - jackal; 3 - lynx; 4 - black bear; pinnipeds: 5 - harp seal; 6 - walrus; ungulates: 7 - horse; 8 - hippopotamus; nine - reindeer; primates: 10 - marmoset; 11 - gorilla; 12 - baboon

To the squad cetaceans the inhabitants of the waters also belong, but, unlike the pinnipeds, they never go to land and give birth to their young in the water. Their limbs have turned into fins, and in the shape of the body they resemble fish. These animals mastered the water for the second time, and in connection with this, they developed many features characteristic of aquatic life. However, the main features of the class have been preserved. They breathe atmospheric oxygen through their lungs. Cetaceans include whales and dolphins. The blue whale is the largest of all modern animals (length 30 m, weight up to 150 tons).

Ungulates subdivided into two orders: equine and artiodactyl.

1. To equids include horses, tapirs, rhinos, zebras, donkeys. Their hooves are modified middle fingers, the remaining fingers are reduced to varying degrees in various kinds. Ungulates have well-developed molars, as they feed on plant foods, chewing and grinding it.

2. At artiodactyls the third and fourth fingers are well developed, turned into hooves, which account for the entire body weight. These are giraffes, deer, cows, goats, sheep. Many of them are ruminants and have a complex stomach.

To the squad proboscis belong to the largest of land animals - elephants. They live only in Africa and Asia. The trunk is an elongated nose, fused with the upper lip. Elephants do not have fangs, but powerful incisors have turned into tusks. In addition, they have well-developed molars that grind plant food. These teeth change in elephants 6 times during their lives. Elephants are very voracious. One elephant can eat up to 200 kg of hay per day.

Primates combine up to 190 species (see Fig. 92). All representatives are characterized by a five-fingered limb, grasping hands, nails instead of claws. The eyes are directed forward (primates have a developed binocular vision). |
§ 64. Birds9. Fundamentals of ecology

The most successful group in the animal kingdom are the mammals. In this article, we will briefly talk about the features of these animals, clarify which orders belong to mammals, and determine their habitats.

Features of mammals

This class of vertebrates belongs to the superclass of tetrapods, in which there are about 5.5 thousand species, including Homo sapiens. The main feature of the representatives of the "Mammals" group is the feeding of cubs with milk.
In addition, there are the following signs:

• warm-bloodedness;
• live birth;
• the body is covered with hair, sweat and sebaceous glands, horn formations are developed;
• the skull has a zygomatic arch;
• the spine is clearly divided into five sections;
• vertebrae of the platelet type;
• subcutaneous muscles are highly developed, there is a diaphragm;
• the nervous system is highly developed, which allows you to quickly respond to stimuli from the external environment;
• special structure of the organ of hearing;
• the lungs have an alveolar structure;
• four-chambered heart, blood circulation is divided into two circles;
• unique structure of jaws and teeth.

The physiology of mammals is not very different from other four-legged representatives, but due to high development some organ systems, this class is considered the highest highly organized among animals.

The Latin name of this class - Mammalia, has become derived from the Latin "mamma" - breast, udder. Russian word"mammals" means - lactating.

Spreading

Representatives of the class can be found everywhere. The only places where there are no mammals are deep ocean and Antarctica, although seals and whales can be found off its coast.

Many subtypes are limited in distribution due to attachment to environmental conditions. For many animals, temperature, soil and orographic conditions, and the availability of food are important.

A separate class "Mammals" was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. At that time, there were 184 species, in modern times all species are divided into 26-29 orders, which consist of 153 families divided into 1229 genera.

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According to the traditional classification, this class of vertebrates is divided into subclasses "First Beasts" (Prototheria) and "Beasts" (Theria). The latter, in turn, are divided into two infraclasses: Marsupials and Placentals.

Rice. 1. Classification.

Description of the orders of mammals

All members of the class are quite diverse in terms of outward signs. The traditional structure of the body, which consists of a head, neck, torso, two pairs of limbs and a tail, varies in the ratio of shapes and sizes. So, a striking example of such variations can be Long neck giraffe, and the absence of a neck in whales.

Rice. 2. External structure.

The Bat order is very different from other mammals due to the transformation of the forelimbs into wings. Due to this, in the popular classification, bats were classified as birds.

The record holders in terms of size and body weight are: pygmy polytooth (weight up to 1.7 g, length - up to 4.5 cm), savannah elephant (weight - up to 5 tons, shoulder height up to 4 m), blue whale (length - 33 m, weight - up to 1.5 tons).

The list of mammals in Russia includes about 300 species. You can find a list of them in the following table:

Detachment	Family	Genus	Representatives
			flying squirrel
			Squirrel ordinary
		Chipmunks	Asian chipmunk
			Long-tailed ground squirrel, Caucasian ground squirrel
			Steppe, Kamchatka, Altai marmot
		hazel, forest, garden dormouse
		Sony regiments	dormouse
	beaver		Canadian beaver, river beaver
	mouse		Forest mouse, steppe, Caucasian mouse, etc.
	Jerboas	jerboas	Large and small jerboas
	Slepyshovye		Mole rat, Ural
	Hamsters		common hamster
		mole rats	Slepushenka
			Forest, Siberian, Promethean voles
		Oriental, forest, house mice	Field, small, forest, house mice
			Gray and black rats
Lagomorphs	hare		European Hare, White Hare, Bush Hare
			wild rabbit
			Altai, northern, small pika
Insectivores		hedgehogs	European hedgehog
		eared hedgehogs	eared hedgehog
	mole	common moles
		muskrat	Russian desman
	Shrews	shrews	Siberian, long-tailed shrew
		shrews	Far Eastern, giant, middle shrew
Bats	horseshoes	Horseshoe bats	Southern, large horseshoe
	smooth-nosed		Long-eared, Amur bat
		Vechernitsy	Redhead Oriental Party
			Desert leather, leather
	raccoons		Raccoon
		raccoon dogs	raccoon dog
		Wolves and dogs	Jackal, wolf
			Fox, corsac
	bearish		White, brown bear
	Marten		Kharza, sable, martens
		Weasels and hori	Weasel, stoat
			Forest, steppe cat
Odd-toed ungulates	Equine		wild Horse
artiodactyls			A wild boar
		Deer, roe deer, moose	Reindeer, European roe deer, elk
	bovids	Mountain goats, sheep	Siberian goat, mountain sheep
cetaceans	Dolphin	White-barreled dolphins, killer whales, whales	Dolphins, killer whales, whales

Rice. 3. Diversity of mammals.

What have we learned?

The most highly developed group of animals are mammals. Representatives of this class can be found everywhere. They received a leading position due to a number of their physiological and external features. Their main features are feeding offspring with milk, as well as warm-bloodedness.

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AT primary school you need to create different presentations that are designed to develop children. One of the topics of such a presentation is about what animals are mammals. Consider the main representatives.

Presentation on the theme of mammals for children

Bats and bears, monkeys and moles, kangaroos and whales - all these animals belong to the group of mammals, man is also a mammal, as well as most domestic and farm animals - cats, dogs, cows, sheep, goats, etc. In total, there are about 4,500 species of mammals on our planet.

strange mammal

This is amazing mammal — giant anteater- lives in forests South America. It feeds exclusively on ants and termites. The anteater breaks insect nests with sharp claws and licks the prey with a long sticky tongue that stretches 60 centimeters in length!

Whales, dolphins and seals are aquatic mammals. Unlike other animals, they do not have hair, and a thick layer of subcutaneous fat protects them from hypothermia.

miniature creatures

One of the smallest mammals -. This Mexican leaf-bearer, for example, is not the size more shemale(about 2 centimeters).

Good girl!

The brain of mammals is much better developed than that of all other animals. The smartest living creatures after humans are monkeys. Some of them use the simplest tools: for example, chimpanzees get termites from their nests with a stick.

For comparison

The blue whale is the most large mammal on the ground. Even such a land giant as an elephant looks very small in comparison (see the picture below).

MAMMALS AND THEIR BABY

Mammals are the only animals that feed their young with milk. Babies are born completely helpless and require constant care. A baby chimpanzee, for example, stays with its mother until the age of six.

baby giant

At blue whale, the largest mammal on Earth, the largest cub is born: the length of the newborn reaches 6-8 meters. The female whale has very nutritious milk, so the baby grows quickly.

oviparous mammals

Some mammals lay eggs, which then hatch into young. One of these unusual animals is living in Australia. It has a bird-like beak and webbed feet. Platypus babies suck milk by licking it off their mother's fur.

marsupials

Kangaroo and koala belong to marsupials. Their cubs are born incompletely formed and continue to develop in a special bag on the mother's stomach. Here the babies suckle milk and stay until they can take care of themselves.

1. A newborn kangaroo gets into your pocket

2. In his pocket he sucks mother's milk

3. The baby is in the pocket until it is covered with hair and can not take care of itself

Caring for offspring

Most mammals take care of their young for some time after birth. Babies, like this cheetah, are usually completely dependent on their mother - she feeds them and protects them. When the cubs grow up, the mother teaches them to hunt and avoid danger.

This material can be used when answering children's questions about animals, as well as about which animals are mammals. In elementary school, this material will be like a presentation on the topic of mammals. Children, having become acquainted with this concept as mammals, presenting their presentation in the class, will have to tell in their own words everything that they have learned. Therefore, do not forget to give your child not only to read our article, but also to retell what he will remember.