Forest & Wildlife Ecology 306 Mammals

Berkelman

Order Monotremata

egg-laying mammals with cloaca; no functional teeth on adults; epipubic bones present

includes echidnas and platypi

Family Tachyglossidae

echidnas/spiny anteaters

Family Ornithorhynchidae

duck-billed platypus

Order Notoryctemorphia

marsupial moles

Order Peramelemorphia

bandicoots and bilbies

Order Dasyuromorphia

marsupial carnivores (Tasmanian devil, spotted-tailed quoll, numbat, etc.)

Order Diprotodontia

Australian marsupials (kangaroos, possums, gliders, wombats, koalas, etc.)

Order Paucituberculata

shrew opossums

Order Microbiotheria

monito del monte

Order Didelphimorphia

American opossums

opposable hallux (big toe) on hind feet; prehensile tail

Didelphis virginiana

Virginia opossum

sharp sagittal crest, tiny brain case; opposable hallux

Placentalia (aka Eutheria)

placental mammals

19 orders, 6,350 species (~94% of living mammals)

Order Cingulata

armadillos

simple, peg-like teeth (homodont); most species fossorial

Dasypus mexicanus

Mexican long-nosed armadillo

body armor with 9 central bands

Order Eulipotyphla

shrews, moles, and hedgehogs

Family Soricidae

shrews

no zygomatic arches or auditory bullae on skull; small, long narrow snout, small eyes and ears

Sorex cinereus

masked shrew

total length = 3-4in; grayish-brown fur, long tail

Sorex hoyi

pygmy shrew

total length = 3.1-3.6in (smallest N. American mammal); unicuspid teeth

Sorex arcticus

arctic shrew

total length = 4-5in; tricolored fur pattern

Sorex palustris

water shrew

total length = 5.4-6.5in; large feet with fringe of stiff hairs for swimming

Blarina brevicauda

short-tailed shrew

total length = 4.3-5.5in; dark fur, large body, short tail; venemous saliva

Family Talpidae

moles and desmans

most moles fossorial, desmans semi-aquatic; skull flattened, zygomatic arch and auditory bullae present

Scalopus aquaticus

eastern mole

total length = 5.9-7.9in; gray-brown fur, plump body, short tail, large forelegs and claws

Condylura cristata

star-nosed mole

tentacles at tip of snout act as sensory organ

Metatheria

marsupials