Nat Hist Vert. Quiz 10

Class Mammalia

• Mammary glands

• Endothermic

• Hair

• Heterodont dentition

• Tetrapod

• Viviparous

• Highly developed central nervous system

• 4 chambered heart

Three Extant Subclasses:

Monotremata, Egg-laying Mammals

Metatheria, Marsupials

Eutheria, Placental Mammals

Order Didelphimorphia: FAMILY Didelphidae

• American Opossums

• 19 genera and 95 species

• Opposable hallux and tail

• Has pouch for their young

• Long rostrum

• Primarily tropical arboreal species

• Nocturnal and crepuscular

Didelphimorphia - Didelphidae Species

Didelphis virginiana

Virginia opossum

Virginia opossum Scientific Name

Didelphis virginiana

Virginia opossum ID

• Short ears

• White face

• Pink nose

• Long, mostly hairless tail

• Grayish fur

Order Eulipotyphla: FAMILY Talpidae:

• True moles

• 18 genera and 39 species

• Insectivorous

• North America, Europe, Asia

• Terrestrial, semifossorial, semiaquatic, fossorial

• Eyes small, pinnae absent

• Snout elongate

Eulipotyphla - Talpidae Species

Scalopus aquaticus

Eastern mole

Eastern mole Scientific Name

Scalopus aquaticus

Eastern mole ID

• Pinnae absent

• Elongate pink snout

• Large claws for digging

• short, mostly hairless tail

• Lustrous pelage

Order Cingulata: FAMILY Dasypodidae:

• Armadillos

• 1 genus, 7 species

• Semi-fossorial mammals

• Carapace composed of dermal bony plates

• Overlaid with epidermal scales

• Simple peg-like teeth

• Relatively hairless

Cingulata – Dasypodidae Species

Dasypus mexicanus

Mexican long-nosed armadillo

Mexican long-nosed armadillo ID

• Carapace around body

• Long rostrum

• Long tail

• Mix of pinkish and darker color

Mexican long-nosed armadillo Scientific Name

Dasypus mexicanus

Order Lagomorpha: FAMILY Leporidae

• Highly fenestrated skull

• Large ears

• Hindfeet larger than forefeet

• Many are coprophagic

• Ingest feces to increase

efficiency of digestion

Lagomorpha - Leporidae Species

Sylvilagus aquaticus

Swamp rabbit

Sylvilagus floridanus

Eastern cottontail

Lepus californicus

Black-tailed jackrabbit

Swamp rabbit Scientific Name

Sylvilagus aquaticus

Eastern cottontail Scientific Name

Sylvilagus floridanus

Black-tailed jackrabbit Scientific Name

Lepus californicus

Swamp rabbit ID

• Larger than the Eastern cottontail

• Long ears

• Brownish fur

• White fluffy tail

• Black eyes

• Rusty nape

• Cinnamon ring around eye

Eastern cottontail ID

• Smaller than the swamp rabbit

• Medium size

• Long ears

• Brownish fur

• White fluffy tail

• Black eyes

• Rusty nape

• Whitish ring around eye

Black-tailed jackrabbit ID

• Larger than cottontail

• Proportionally larger ears

• Long legs

• Dark fur on tail and on tip of ears

• Yellow eyes

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Sciuridae:

• Squirrels

• Diverse group – 279 species, 51 genera

• Unique vocal, diurnal rodents

• Three major types of squirrel:

• Tree – long, bushy tails

• Ground – short, sturdy forelimbs for digging

• Gliding – furred patagium between the wrist and ankle

Rodentia - Sciuridae Species

Glaucomys volans

Southern flying squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Eastern gray squirrel

Sciurus niger

Eastern fox squirrel

Southern flying squirrel Scientific Name

Glaucomys volans

Eastern gray squirrel Scientific Name

Sciurus carolinensis

Eastern fox squirrel Scientific Name

Sciurus niger

Southern flying squirrel ID

Limbs are connected from wrist to ankle by loose fold of skin

• Tail is densely haired

• Can be seen gliding from tree to tree

Eastern gray squirrel ID

• Generally grayish color

• White belly

• Large bushy tail

Eastern fox squirrel ID

• Generally grayish brown on body

• Interspersed w/ white

• Orange fur on head & feet

• Bushy tail

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Castoridae:

• Beavers

• Large aquatic rodents (largest rodent in the U.S.

• Webbed hind feet

• Flattened scaly tale

• Ears & nostrils that close when they dive.

• Ecological engineers

• Affecting large changes in small streams

• Larger rivers such as Blanco & SM river, beavers

burrow into the bank rather than create dams.

• Castor sac – produces oil used in perfume and some food

Rodentia - Castoridae Species

Castor canadensis

American beaver

American beaver Scientific Name

Castor canadensis

American beaver ID

• Large rodents

• Long, flattened scaly tail

• Brown coat

• Large webbed feet

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Heteromyidae

• Pocket mice and kangaroo rats

• Adapted for arid and semiarid habitats

• Nocturnal

• Feed on seeds and young plants

• Can derive all their water from their diet

• “Pocket” refers to their external fur

lined cheek pouches used to carry food

Rodentia - Heteromyidae Species

Dipodomys ordii

Ord’s kangaroo rat

Ord’s kangaroo rat ID

• Has a fifth toe (different from other k-rat species)

• Long tail

• Long hindlimbs

• Short face

• Gold-brown dorsal hair and white stomach

Ord’s kangaroo rat Scientific Name

Dipodomys ordii

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Geomyidae:

• New World Gophers

• 41 species in 7 genera

• North America

• Fossorial

• Sister group of Heteromyidae

• External fur-lined cheek

pouches

• Small pinnae, small eyes, short tail

Rodentia - Geomyidae Species

Geomys personatus

Texas pocket gopher

Texas pocket gopher Scientific name

Geomys personatus

Texas pocket gopher ID

• Relatively large

• pale or greyish-brown fur

• Stout-bodied with small ears

and eyes

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Muridae:

• Old World rats and mice

• 1150 species, 260 genera

• Found on all continents

except Antarctica and many

oceanic islands

• Can be omnivorous or

specialists

• Has been detrimental and

also beneficial to mankind

Rodentia - Muridae Species

Rattus rattus

Roof rat

Mus musculus

House mouse

Roof rat Scientific Name

Rattus rattus

House Mouse Scientific Name

Mus musculus

Roof rat ID

• May be dark in color, may be brown or gray

• Scaly tail

• Tail longer than body length

• Large ears

• Relatively large bodied

• Common in urban settings

House Mouse ID

• Long mostly hairless tail

• Brown coloration

• Large round ears

Order Rodentia: FAMILY Cricetidae:

• New World Rats and Mice

• 681 species in 130 genera

• Very diverse family

• Habitats vary greatly

• Long tails, large eyes, prominent

ears and whiskers

• Fur texture ranges from silky and

soft to coarse and spiny

Rodentia - Cricetidae Species

Sigmodon hispidus

Hispid cotton rat

Neotoma leucodon

White-toothed woodrat

Hispid cotton rat Scientific Name

Sigmodon hispidus

White-toothed woodrat Scientific Name

Neotoma leucodon

Hispid cotton rat ID

• Can be relatively large

• Tan to dark brown fur

• Tail shorter than body length

White-toothed woodrat ID

• Medium-sized rodent

• Large ears

• Distinct white teeth

• Bicolored tail with grayish

brown above and white

below