Vertebrate Natural History: Mammals (Part 2)

What is the Bunodont cusp pattern?

What is the Lophodont cusp pattern?

What is the Selenodont cusp pattern?

What is the Sectorial or Carnassial cusp pattern?

Explain hierarchical breathing in mammals

Explain negative-pressure ventilation in mammals?

What type of heart does mammals have?

• 4-chambered heart

What happens to heart rate as the mammal gets smaller?

• As the weight of the mammal goes down, their heart rate will go up

What is the main reproductive strategy in mammals?

What is an unique male reproductive feature found in mammals?

• Baculum- Penis Bone

  • All carnivores, rodents and bats, most primates, and some “insectivores”

  • Morphology differs among species

• Testes located outside the body cavity in most mammals

How are most mammals born, and what are the exceptions?

What is gestation?

Explain parental investment in mammals?

What is altricial vs precocial?

• Altricial- born or hatched underdeveloped, blind, naked, and entirely dependent on parents for survival

• Precocial- animals whose young are born or hatched relatively mature, mobile, and capable of a high degree of independent activity.

What are the types of mammary glands and the positions of them?

Explain eye placement in mammals

Explain the functions and features of hearing in mammals?

Explain the olfactory system in mammals?

What is the Flehmen response?

• a behavior where mammals curl back their upper lips, expose their front teeth, and inhale to transfer scents to a special sensory organ

What is the Epiphysis, Metaphysis, Diasphysis, and Epiphysis Line?

• Epiphysis- the rounded, widened end of a long bone, crucial for joint articulation, stability, and growth

  • Epiphyseal Line- the remnant of the epiphyseal plate (growth plate) found in adult long bones, appearing as a faint line on X-rays

• Metaphysis- the wide, flared neck portion of a long bone situated between the thin, outer epiphysis and the central shaft (diaphysis)

• Diaphysis- the main, tubular shaft of a long bone located between the two epiphyses (ends), composed primarily of dense cortical bone

Explain the unique pattern of growth in long bones?

• Epiphyseal Closure- the natural process where the cartilage growth plates at the ends of long bones harden into solid bone, marking the end of longitudinal bone growth and final height attainment

What is the axial skeleton and the parts of the vertebral column?

What is the appendicular skeleton and its parts?

What are the types of foot postures in mammals?

• Plantigrade – phalanges, metacarpals /metatarsals and carpals/tarsals touch the ground

• Digitigrade – length of the phalanges touch the ground; metatarsals/metacarpals and the carpals/tarsals are elevated

• Unguligrade – only the tips of the phalanges touch the ground; terminate in hooves

What are the two ungulate orders and their differences?

• Artiodactyla- Even-toed ungulates

• Perissodactyla- Odd-toed ungulates

What is cursorial terrestrial locomotion?

What is ambulatory terrestrial locomotion?

What is saltatorial terrestrial locomotion?

What is graviportal terrestrial locomotion?

What is fossorial locomotion and the adaptations needed for it?

What is arboreal locomotion and the adaptations needed for it?

What are specializations for arboreal locomotion?

What are the adaptations for amphibious mammals locomotion?

What are the adaptations for aquatic mammals locomotion?

What are the adaptations for marine mammal locomotion?

What are the adaptations for flying mammal locomotion?

What are the adaptations for gliding mammal locomotion? What are the orders?

What is the insectivorous feeding adaptation?

What is the carnivorous feeding adaptation?

What are carnivorous specializations?

• Sanguinivory

• Piscivory

• Krillvory

What are the adaptations for herbivores?

What are the two types of herbivores?

What are the adaptations for onmivores?