Advertisement Upgrade to remove ads

What characteristic is present in all synapsids?

skull with one opening behind the eye socket

What synapsid gave rise to mammals?


What evidence has been found in early mammals that indicates they were active at night?

large eye sockets

Why did early mammals flourish after the extiction of dinosaurs?

many new habitats were available to them

What is the function of the diagphragm?

allows mammals to breathe more efficiently

What are the major structures of the mammal heart?

right and left atriums, right and left ventricles, septum

What are the three major groups of modern mammals?

monotremes, marsupials, placental mammals

What major group of modern mammals is oviparous and is only found in Australiand New Guinea?


What are two examples of monotremes?

duckbill platypus and echinda

What major group of mammals is viviparous with a short development period in the mother and an external pouch where the young develops to maturity?


What are examples of marsupials?

kangaroo, opossum

What major group of mammals is viviparous with a long development period inside the mother; the young is nourished through the blood supply of the mother?

placental mammal

What are examples of placental mammals?

rats, horses, elephants, moles, bats, monkeys, rabbits, sheep, whales, manatees

What are the characteristics of mammals?

endothermy, hair, four-chambered heart, mammary glands, single lower jawbone, specialized teeth

What are the types of teeth found in mammals and what is the function of each?

incisors-cutting; canines-tearing; premolars-shearing,shred, and grinding; molars-grinding

What is the role of the gnawing mammals in the food chain?

primary consumers that convert plants to meat

Which groups of rodents has a second set of incisor teeth located behind the first set?

rabbits, pikas, hares

Give examples of animals that are considered true rodents because they don't have a second set of incisors.

rats and mice

What is the smallest member of the Rodentia order that we found in the owl pellet?


What is a cloven-hoofed animal?

a deer, bison, elk, antelope which has a hoof that is divided into two parts (toes)

What is an ungulate?

a mammal with hooves

What is a ruminant?

mammals that have a series of four stomach compartments capable of digesting larg amounts of fiber

Give examples of a ungulate.

deer, pronghorns, goats, sheep, horses, cattle

Give examples of ruminants.

cows, sheep, buffalo, goats, deer, elk

What is a pinniped?

an animal that has flippers instead of feet such as a sea lion or a seal.

What term is used to describe an animal that is active at night?


What is the process of locating objects by emitting sounds and interpreting the sound waves that are reflected back?


What mammal uses echolocation?


What is the function of the cecum?

digests cellulose found in plant fibers

What animals are in the order Rodentia?

squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, mice, rats, porcupines

What animals are in the order Edentata?

anteater, armadillo, sloths

What animals are in the order Lagomorpha?

rabbits, hares, pikas

What animals are in the order Insectivora?

shrews, hedgehogs, moles

What animals are in the order Primates?

lemur, monkeys, apes, humans

What animals are in the order Chiroptera?


What animals are in the order Carnivora?

dogs, cats, raccoons, bears, otters, seals, seal lions

What animals are in the order Artiodactyla?

deer, elk, bison, moose, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, camels

What animals are in the order Perissodactyla?

horses, zebra, rhinoceroses, tapirs

What animals are in the order Cetacea?

whales, dolpins, porpoises

What animals are in the order Sirenia?

manatees, dugongs

Please allow access to your computer’s microphone to use Voice Recording.

Having trouble? Click here for help.

We can’t access your microphone!



Reload the page to try again!


Press Cmd-0 to reset your zoom

Press Ctrl-0 to reset your zoom


Please upgrade Flash or install Chrome
to use Voice Recording.

For more help, see our troubleshooting page.

Your microphone is muted

For help fixing this issue, see this FAQ.

Star this term

You can study starred terms together

NEW! Voice Recording

Create Set