Families mammalogy exam

what family includes opossums, is almost exclusively Neotropical, small incisors, long rostrum, narrow brain case, prominent sagittal crest, first digit of forefoot is opposable, long naked, scaly, prehensile tail, and a pouch?

Didelphidae

what family includes manatees, only aquatic forms that are herbivorous, worn molar replaced from rear of jaw, indefinite number of molars are produced as needed, new world, live in coastal waters?

trichechidae

what family includes armadillos, is in tropical regions of new world, armadillo is only member in the new world, few to many teeth, homodont, Horney epidermis over bony plates, and identical quadruplets from single ovum?

Dasypodidae

what family includes pikas, 2 species in western North America, 27 in Asia, skull not fenestrated, montane meadows and talus slope habitat, calls and songs used to maintain social organization make hay piles for use in winter?

Ochotonidae

what family includes rabbits and hares, large ears and short tails, fused limb bones for strength fenestrated skulls?

Leporidae

what group in Leporidae do not construct nests, instead make forms, and have precocial young, not inter parietal bone in skull?

hares

what group in Leporidae construct fur lined nests and have altricial young, and have interparietal bone in skull?

rabbits

what family includes shrews, upper middle incisors elongated for capture of invertebrates, snout long and thin, ears have small external pinnae (exceptions), very small eyes, generally live in litter, underdogs or burrows of others, some members echolocate and some are venomous, most are terrestrial but some are aquatic, and are wide spread?

Soricidae

what family includes moles which have front feet broadened for digging, head and forelimbs modified for burrowing, ears usually lack external pinnae, small eyes, fur is thick, soft and velvety, sternum keel enhanced for muscle attachment forefeet permanently rooted outward, digging muscles of eastern mole can generation force 32 times its body mass, all species insectivorous but some plant matter is consumed?

talpidae

what family includes free-tailed, mastiff, and bonneted bats, form some of the largest colonies of vertebrates on earth, are aerial insectivores, echolocate, and are worldwide?

molossidae

what family includes leaf chinned bats, ghost faced bat for example, are new world, aerial insectivores, long narrow wings for rapid flight and echolocate?

Mormoopidae

what family includes new world leaf nosed bats, nose leaf present in most genera (not vampire bats), mostly tropical, great diversity in feeding habits, some feed on small vertebrates while others are insectivorous, nectivorous, frugivorous, and sanguinivorous, and echolocation?

phyllostomatidae

what family includes vesper bats, are worldwide, the most widespread family in the world, considerable variation in life histories, some being colonial, other solitary, some migrate, some hibernate, and some mate in spring or fall, insectivorous, and echolocate?

vespertilionidae

what family includes wolves, coyotes, dogs, foxes, jackals, dingos, and dholes, long rostrum with large nasal chamber, well developed sense of smell, claws and not retractile, well developed canines and carnasials, most cursorial of the carnivores, primarily carnivorous but can be omnivorous?

canidae

what family includes cats, rostrum shortened to the extreme of Carnivora, increases bite force, claws retractile, not as cursorial as canids, stalk and short run, carnassial well developed large canines, with other teeth reduced in size, most prey exclusively on mammals or birds?

felidae

what family includes marten, ermine, fisher, weasel, mink, wolverine, badgers, otters, most diverse group of carnivores, usually small and short legged, carnassials well developed, except in otters, anal scent glands well developed, terrestrial to nearly aquatic?

mustelidae

what family includes skunks, anal scent glands can actively spray, black and white aposematic coloration, omnivorous, susceptible to rabies with outbreaks common in panhandle?

mephitidae

what family includes raccoon, ringtail, and coati, new world, omnivores that forage actively as predators and scavengers, semi retractile claws, poorly developed carnassial (except ringtails), much greater climbing ability that other families in Carnivora, long tail for balance?

procyonidae

what family includes bears, large canines and poorly developed carnassial, non retractile claws, plantigrade and ambulatory rather than cursorial, only polar bear is strictly carnivorous, winter lethargy but not true hibernation, 6-7 month delayed implantation in North America species?

Ursidae

what family includes walrus (only one species in world), circumpolar distribution, upper canines large, ever growing tusks in males and females, tusks useful in gathering mollusks from sea floor?

Odobenidae

what family includes eared seals(sea lions and furred seals), have small external ear, abundant underfur, only inhabit marine environments, better adapted for land than other pinnipeds, hind flippers can be brought under body and used for terrestrial locomotion?

otariidae

what family includes earless seals, have no external ears, underfur essentially absent, inhabit marine, estuary and freshwater, greatest size diversity of pinnipeds, hind flippers useless on land and specialized for deep dives and long underwater stays?

phocidae

what family includes 1 species (pronghorn), evolved and endemic to North America, horns branch and keratin sheath is shed annually, males grow new sheath under old and the old sheath splits and is shed, if females have horns, they are small, unbranched and shed irregularly, fastest land mammal in new world, and endurance at 10 km at 70 kmph?

antilocapridae

what family includes bison, mountain goat, muskox, mountain sheep, whales and many others, is the largest family of artiodactyls, absent only from South America and Australia, domestics occur world wide, permanent horns, herbivorous mostly grazers, all have four chambered ruminant stomachs, cursorial in part due to their evolution in grasslands, teeth adapted to grazing habits?

Bovidae

what family includes elk, deer, moose and caribou, widely distributed, absent only form sub saharan Africa and Antarctica, introduced to Australia and New Zealand, antlers shed annually, generally only in males except for caribou, herbivores, browsers more than grazers, no upper incisors, may form large migratory herds at certain times of year and economically important?

cervidae

what family includes peccaries or javelina, 3 genera each with a single species, only in the new world, smaller than pigs, have thin legs and small hooves, omnivores but more herbivorous than pigs, tusklike upper canines, social herds of 15 to 50?

Tayassuidae

what family includes 1 introduced species (feral hogs or wild boar), introduced in new world, omnivores, snout used for rooting for food, no horns or antlers, tusks from upper canines?

Suidae

what family includes 1 species (mountain beaver), found in Pacific Northwest from british Colombia, to Northern California, most primitive living rodent, restricted to moist areas in part because kidneys cannot produce concentrated urine, nocturnal, largely fossorial, stocky, no external tail, strictly herbivorous, stores food and caches fecal pellets?

Aplodontidae

what family has one species in North America (American beaver), two species world wide, second largest rodent, largest in North America, large economic important for exploration and settlements of North America, large spatulate tail used in swimming, nictating membrane and nostrils and ears that close when underwater, feed on cambium, bark, leaves, and roots of trees, store branches underwater for use during winter, ecological engineers, and are herbivorous?

Castoridae

what are the new world rats and mice, second largest family behind only muridae, diverse array of habitats and locomotor adaptations, new world?

cricetidae

what family has one species in North America (North American porcupine), feeds on cambium, is the 2nd largest rodent in North America, good climbers, arboreal, and spines are barbed tips for protection?

Erethizontidae

what family includes pocket mice, kangaroo mice, and kangaroo rats, found from northwestern South America north into Canada, infraorbital foramen pierces rostrum, fur lined cheek pouches, nocturnal, adapted to arid and semi arid habitats and kangaroo rats and strongly bipedal, many are granivores?

Heteromyidae

what family includes pocket gophers, are restricted to western hemisphere, various habitats where soil is suitable for burrowing, thick bodied with small eyes and pinnae, long claws on forefeet for digging, lips can close behind incisors when digging, all teeth are ever growing, keeled sternum increases muscle attachment for digging, feed extensively on below ground portion of plants but will venture from burrows to feed and sometimes eat animal matter (insects)?

Geomyidae

what family includes squirrels (chipmunks, marmots, ground squirrels, etc.), variable and diverse group, worldwide except Australia, Madagascar, and southern South America, fossorial, arboreal, glissando, many hibernate, mostly herbivorous but some animal matter eaten?

Sciuridae

what family includes spiny rats (nutria or coypus in US), native to South America, introduced to North America for fur, millions of pelts harvested annually in US before decline of fur trade?

Echimyidae

what family includes jumping mice, in North America small, long tailed mice, ricochetal locomotion?

Zapodidae

what family includes old world mice and rats, house mice and Norway rats common pests in many locations?

muridae

what family includes 2 introduced species (feral horses and burrows) as well as zebra, are cursorial, only 3rd digit remains functional, herbivore, teeth adapted to wear from grass as a food (high silica content)?

Equidae

what family has small incisors, long rostrum, narrow brain case and prominent sagittal crest, first digit of forefoot is opposable?

didelphidae

what family includes the only completely aquatic forms that are herbivorous, molars are infinite and replaced from rear of jaw?

trichechidae

what family has homodont teeth, Horny epidermis over bony plates, and identical quadruplets from single ovum?

dasypodidae

what are in mountain regions, make hay piles for winter, and skull not fenestrated?

ochotonidae

what family has large ears and short tails, fused limb bones, and fenestrated skulls?

leporidae

what family has elongated upper incisors for capturing prey, small external pinnae and eyes, and some echolocate and venomous saliva?

soricidae

what family has front feet broadened for digging, extremely small eyes and no external pinnae, thick velvety fur, forefeet permanently rotated outwards?

talpidae

what family of bats is found worldwide, are insectivorous, echolocate and some audible for humans, create some of largest colonies of vertebrates on earth?

Molossidae

what bats are new world only, aerial insectivores, long narrow wings for rapid flight and echolocate?

mormoopidae

what bats are new world only, nose leaf present in most (not vampire bats), mostly tropical, some carnivorous, insectivorous, blood eating, and echolocate?

phyllostomatidae

what bats are worldwide and the most widespread family in the world, considerable variation in life histories because some are colonial, solitary, migratory, hibernate, mate in spring or fall, insectivorous, and echolocate?

vespertilionidae

what family has a long rostrum with large nasal chamber, claws not retractile, well developed canines and carnassials?

canidae

what family has rostrum shortened to the extreme of carnivora, claws retractile, stalk and short run because not as cursorial, large canines with other teeth reduced in size?

felidae

what is the most diverse group of carnivores, usually small and short legged, scent glands well developed, terrestrial to nearly aquatic?

mustelidae

what have anal scent glands that can actively spray, black and white aposematic coloration?

mephitidae

what are new world and introduced elsewhere, omnivores, semi retractile claws, poorly developed carnassials, much greater climbing ability than other carnivora, long tail for balance?

procyonidae

what have large canines and poorly developed carnassials, nonretractile claws, plantigrade and ambulatory, winter lethargy and not true hibernation, 6-7 month delayed implantation?

ursidae

what have circumpolar distribution, upper canines large, ever growing tusks in males and females?

odobenidae

what have small external ear, abundant underfur, only inhabit marine environments, better adapted for land than other pinnipeds?

otariidae

what have no external ear, underfur essentially absent, inhabit marine, estuary, and freshwater environments, greatest size diversity of pinnipeds, deep dives and long underwater stays?

phocidae

what family only has one species, horns branch and keratin sheath shed annually, males grow new sheath under old, if females have horns small and unbranched, fastest land mammal in new world?

antilocapridae

what is the largest family of artiodactyls, not in South America and Australia, permanent horns, all have ruminant stomachs, teeth adapted to grazing habits?

bovidae

what family are widely distributed and absent from only sub saharan Africa and Antarctica, introduced to Australia and new Zealand, antlers shed annually, browsers more than grazers, no upper incisors, may form large migratory herds?

cervidae

what family is only in new world, 3 genera with a single species, have tusk like upper canines?

Tayassuidae

what family has 1 introduced species, no horns or antlers, tusks from upper canines?

suidae

what has one species, found in british Colombia to Northern California, is the most primitive living rodent, restricted to moist areas because kidneys cannot produced concentrated urine, nocturnal?

aplodontidae

what has 2 species, 1 in old and one in new world, second largest rodent, large in North America, nictating membrane and nostrils and ears that close when under water, ecological engineers?

castoridae

what is the second largest family, diverse array of habitats and locomotor adaptations, new world?

cricetidae

what has one species, is the second largest rodent in North America, good climbers, arboreal, spines with barbed tips for protection?

erethizontidae

what have an infraorbital foramen that pierces rostrum, fur lined cheek pouches, nocturnal, many are granivores?

heteromyidae

what are restricted to western hemisphere, thick bodied with small eyes and pinnae, long claws for digging, teeth are ever growing keeled sternum for muscle attachment?

geomyidae

what are variable and diverse, worldwide except Australia, Madagascar and southern South America, fossorial, arboreal, or glissant, many hibernate?

sciuridae

what are native to South America and were introduced to US for fur?

echimyidae

what are in North America, small, have long tail, ricochetal locomotion?

zapodidae

what is the largest family of mammals, mostly pests?

Muridae

what includes 2 introduced species in the US, are cursorial, only 3rd digit is functional, teeth adapted to wear from grass as food due to high silica content?

equidae

what have fur lined cheek pouches, lips close behind incisors?

zapodidae

what have fur lined cheek pouches, with some being bipedal?

heteromyidae