Mammals
Cristhian Madrid
Tubulidentata
Tubulidentata is an order of small mammals native to sub-Saharan
Africa. The only extant member of the order is the aardvark
(Orycteropus afer). Aardvarks are nocturnal, fossorial (burrowing),
and insectivorous (insect-eating) mammals. They are characterized
by their long, sticky tongues, which they use to capture ants and
termites. Aardvarks also have strong claws and powerful legs,
which they use to dig burrows.
Proboscidea
The Proboscidea is an order of large, herbivorous mammals that
includes elephants and their extinct relatives. Members of this order
are characterized by their long, muscular trunks, which they use for
breathing, smelling, grasping objects, and lifting heavy objects.
Proboscideans also have large heads, tusks, and thick skin.
Sirenia
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that
inhabit warm, shallow waters near coasts and rivers. They are
commonly known as sea cows or sirenians. Sirenia comprises two
distinct families: Dugongidae (the dugong and the extinct Steller's
sea cow) and Trichechidae (manatees, namely the Amazonian
manatee, West Indian manatee, and West African manatee) with a
total of four extant species.
Monotremata
The Monotremata are a small order of mammals that lay eggs
rather than giving birth to live young. They are found only in
Australia and New Guinea, and there are only five living species:
the platypus and four species of echidnas. Monotremes are the
oldest living mammalian lineage, and they have many unique
features that set them apart from other mammals.
Xenarthra
Xenarthra is a diverse order of placental mammals native to the
Americas. It comprises three extant families and numerous extinct
species, including giant ground sloths and armadillo-like creatures.
Pholidota
Pangolins are the only mammals in the order Pholidota. They are
characterized by their long tails, scaly skin, and lack of teeth.
Pangolins are found in tropical Africa and Asia, and they are the
most heavily trafficked wild animals in the world.
Marsupiala
There are around 340 species of marsupial mammals scattered
across the world, with the majority found in Australia. Marsupials
are distinguished from other mammals by their distinctive
reproductive system, in which the young are born after a very short
gestation period and complete their development in a pouch on the
mother's abdomen.
Insectivora
The order Insectivora was a diverse group of small, primarily
insect-eating mammals that lived on all continents except
Antarctica. It included hedgehogs, shrews, moles, tenrecs, and
solenodons. Insectivores were typically small, with bodies adapted
for digging or burrowing. They had long noses and snouts, sharp
claws, and small eyes. Their teeth were sharp and pointed, ideal for
catching and eating insects.
Chiroptera
Bats (order Chiroptera) are the second largest order of mammals,
after rodents, with over 1,400 species. They are found all over the
world except for polar regions and some oceanic islands.
Cetacea
Cetaceans are an order of aquatic mammals that includes whales,
dolphins, and porpoises. Cetaceans are fully adapted to an aquatic
life and spend their entire lives in the water. They have a
streamlined body shape that helps them to swim through the water,
and their flippers are modified from their forelimbs. Cetaceans also
have a blowhole on the top of their head, which they use to breathe
air.
