Mammals are a class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands which females use to nurse their young, fur or hair covering the body, and a neocortex, a region of the brain that is associated with higher-order brain functions such as cognition and sensory perception. This group includes a diverse array of species ranging from tiny bumblebee bats to the massive blue whale. Mammals are also distinguished by their specialized teeth, endothermic metabolism (which allows for regulation of body temperature), and a four-chambered heart. They inhabit every ecosystem on Earth—from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains and from arid deserts to lush rainforests. The adaptability of mammals to various environmental conditions is facilitated by their complex behavioral and physiological adaptations. This class is divided into three subclasses: monotremes, marsupials, and the largest group, placental mammals.
Researchers developed TetrapodTraits, a comprehensive database featuring over 33,000 tetrapod species, aimed at enhancing global biodiversity studies. This tool addresses knowledge gaps and data inconsistencies…
Research from Cornell University suggests that prolonged maternal care contributes to longer lifespans and slower reproductive rates in humans and other mammals, supporting theories that…
Australian researchers have discovered the oldest confirmed platypus specimen along with a new species they’ve named ‘echidnapus.’ This newly identified species combines characteristics of platypuses…
A genomic study supports the hypothesis that the evolution of ruminant horns and antlers was not independent. From the small ossicones on a giraffe to…
Mammaliaforms encompass both living and extinct species that share a close relationship with mammals. Research on mammaliaforms aids scientists in deciphering the evolutionary developments responsible…
A crucial gene has been identified that clarifies the repeated emergence of gliding capabilities throughout the evolution of marsupials. People say “When pigs fly” to…
Specimens from the Jurassic period found in China illuminate the evolution of teeth, jaws, and ears in mammals. An international team of paleontologists led by…
University of British Columbia researchers believe a group of killer whales observed hunting marine mammals including sperm whales, as well as a sea turtle, in…
A student and a professor from CUNY’s Graduate Center and Brooklyn College have pruned a branch off the primate tree. New research reveals that picrodontids,…
Finds in Eastern Germany indicate that Neanderthals accumulated large quantities of meat and fat, or gathered in bigger groups for the consumption of elephants. New…
New analysis settles long-standing confusion about the age of a key fossil. Modern hippos first dispersed in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, a geological epoch…
An international team rediscovered the rare Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna in Indonesia, also uncovering new species and a cave system. These findings, achieved with local community…
A study predicts that the formation of a supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, 250 million years in the future could lead to extreme temperatures, threatening mammalian survival…
Contrary to previous beliefs, mammals that survived past mass extinctions weren’t always generalists; many had unique traits that aided their survival, prompting a…
A study predicts a mass extinction of mammals in 250 million years due to extreme heat from the formation of a supercontinent. The research highlights…
The conclusion of the last Ice Age coincided with the extinction of numerous large mammal genera in North America, ranging from mammoths and mastodons to…
Unlike crocodiles, turtles, lizards, dinosaurs, and fish that possess bony plates and scales, mammals have long since exchanged their ancestral armor for an insulating layer…
A 125-million-year-old fossil, showing a carnivorous mammal attacking a dinosaur, challenges the long-standing belief that Cretaceous dinosaurs faced minimal threats from mammals. This significant finding…