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14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Give examples of species within clade Xenarthra.
What are some characteristics of this group? |
• Have XENARTHRAE = extra articulations between verts
• Reduced teeth; most big foreclaws for digging/hanging/defense • Armadillo bony armor jointed • Sloths out of trees weekly to defecate, harbor insects/algae in fur |
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Give examples of species within clade Pholidota.
What are some characteristics of this group? |
Clade Pholidota (pangolins), 7 sp.
• Africa/Asia (vs N/SAmer for Xenarthrans) • Scaly covering of body • Reduced teeth, long tongue • Flexible tail (prehensile in some sp.) |
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Name some characteristics of rodents.
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• Distinctive teeth: ever-growing upper & lower incisors with enamel on front edge -- good for gnawing
• Many groups: beavers, squirrels, mice & rats, guinea pigs, porcupines . |
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Name some characteristics of lagomorphs.
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• Distinctive teeth: 2 upper incisor sets, one directly behind the other.
• Many rabbits have large ears, legs specialized for jumping locomotion (SALTATION). |
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Name some characteristics of insectivorans and give examples.
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• Mostly small in size - NOT RODENTS!!
• Many insect eating specialists, some carnivorous • Sharp, pointy teeth (similar to opossum) • Many nocturnal or burrowing: most have long, sensitive snout & small eyes . |
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What are the two groups of bats?
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• Megachiropterans: large fruit eaters
• Microchiropterans: small, echolochation. |
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What are some distinction of primates?
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• NAILS instead of claws on digits
• Generalized teeth - omnivorous • Eyes: good color vision, frontally directed for good depth perception. |
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What is a synapomorphy of carnivores?
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CARNASSIAL TEETH.
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What are the six major patterns in mammalian evolution?
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1) Reproductive specializations of marsupials & eutherians.
2) Diversification of locomotor structures. 3) Diversification of feeding & digestive structures. 4) Reinvasion of aquatic habitats (especially whales). 5) Convergent evolution across different continents. 6) The Great American Interchange (GAI). |
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How is the reproductive system specialized in marsupials and eutherians?
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The rearrangement of reproductive and urinary passages prevents waste from reaching developing young.
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What is the difference between eutherian and marsupial reproductive systems?
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- MARSUPIALS use YOLK SAC PLACENTA - no mesoderm for blood vessels, limited attachment, short gestation (=time inside mother, usually ≤ 2 weeks)
- EUTHERIANS: both membranes have mesoderm, so strong vascular connection to mother, long gestation. |
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What's the general trend in marsupial vs. eutherian parental care and embryonic development?
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• Eutherians longer gestation, shorter lactation (suckling) care.
• Marsupials longer COMBINED period between gestation and suckling. |
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How did mammalian locomotion diversify?
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The trend goes from plantigrade, to digitigrade, to unguligrade for faster running.
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What are the adaptations for eating in mammalian diversity?
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Teeth adapt for herbivory. (Hypsodont Teeth).
Fermentation in foregut (Rumen), and fermentation in hindgut (Caecum) helps animals extract energy. |
