University of Queensland researchers found that African and Asian primates, including the ancestors of humans,…
Browsing: Mammals
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.
A new review suggests the primitive streak evolved independently in mammals and birds, and mammalian…
Young seal pups adjust their pitch and volume in noisy environments, hinting at vocal learning…
A study shows the first true tusks evolved in dicynodonts, mammal relatives from over 200…
Dicynodonts, pre-dinosaur mammal relatives, were the first animals to evolve true tusks. Most people picture…
New study reveals that Mylodon was an omnivore, unlike its strictly plant-eating relatives. A new…
Researcher discovers that the underground species has a secret glow. You can learn a lot…
An Indian Otter found at Hammerschmiede: Neptune’s Vishnu otter arrived 11.4 million years ago from…
Fossils reveal early mammals were quick to take advantage of new ecological niches, evolving varied…
120-million-year-old animals evolved ‘scratch digging’ traits independently. A joint research team led by Dr. Fangyuan…
Extinct mammals, not dinosaurs, limited early modern mammal evolution. Their disappearance cleared the way for…
When most people think of ferocious, blade-like teeth on prehistoric creatures they picture Smilodon, better known…
Published in the prestigious Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir Series, these landmark findings of over…
In all human populations, average lifespans are longer for women than for men. Moreover, nine…
Mammals’ backbones are weird. Compared to other four-legged animals like reptiles, mammal spines are a…
A member of the sirtuin family of proteins, SIRT6, has been shown to extend lifespans…
The male-sex determining Y chromosome is here to stay, having lost only one gene in…
Golden moles, mammals forming the family of Chrysochloridae, which taxonomically is distinct from true moles…