GENERAL CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Sub-phylum: Vertebrata (vertebral column present)
Phylum: Chordata (dorsal tubular nerve cord, notochord,
and gill-slits present)
Superclass: Tetrapoda (paired limbs, lungs, cornified skin
and bony skeleton)
Class: Mammalia
2
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Two identifying characteristics:
● Hair or Fur
● Mammary glands which produce milk.
Other characteristics-
● Endothermic (warm blooded animals)
● Well developed brain
● Four-chambered heart
● Mostly viviparous
3
ORIGIN OF MAMMALS:
The fossil mammal like reptiles reveals that the evolution of
mammals is preceded through the following biological trends:
(a) The gradual growth of brain which is related to the
increment of the cranial cavity.
(b) Gradual acquisition of hard palate.
(c) Loss and condensation of some bones of the skull and
lower jaw.
(d) Gradual reduction of elements of the pectoral girdle.
(e) Gradual condensation, differentiation and compactness of
the general body system to increase the efficiency.
4
ORIGIN OF MAMMALS:
Time of Origin:
The mammal like reptiles were abundant in Permian and in
early Triassic periods. The probable time is assigned either to
be late Permian or early Triassic.
Place of Origin:
There are two views regarding the place of origin of mammals.
First view is that the mammals arose in South Africa as
evidenced from the abundance of Therapsid fossils.
Based from the history of reptilian disappearance the second
view holds that the place, of origin was Central Asia.
5
CAUSE OF ORIGIN:
From Permian to Jurassic age, there was a great climatic
fluctuation.
There had been periodic aridity (dryness) alternating with glacial
periods.
➔So nature has to provide a new mechanism of temperature
control.
➔The achievement of temperature control probably saved the
insignificant mammals from the stroke of geological changes.
However, with all certainties and probabilities, the insignificant
Cynodonts (therapsids that appeared in the late Permian) ,
survived the perilous(dangerous) existence and gave origin to
mammalian form of life in time and space.
6
ORIGIN TYPES:
Mammals have got various forms of origin. They have got
various characteristics from various other classes. The various
forms of mammalian ancestry are:
1. Amphibian ancestry
2. Reptilian ancestry
3. Reptiles like mammals
4. Polyphyletic origin
5. First true mammals
6. Monotremes – the first mammals
7
Amphibian Ancestory:
T.H. Huxley advocated amphibian ancestry of mammals in 1880.
He supported this theory because there are 2 occipital condyles in
the skull of Amphibia and Mammalia. This theory was then rejected
on the basis of the fact that condyles are derived from the
exoccipitals in Amphibia and basioccipitals in Mammalia. But apart
from these similarities there are various differences in both these
classes fundamentally as well as in modes of life.
8
Reptilian Ancestry:
This class seems to be more related and associated with the
mammals as it is believed that mammals have evolved from
reptiles along with aves showing divergent type of Evolution.
There are enough evidences from extinct reptiles and
mammals for this universally accepted view that mammalians
had a reptilian ancestry. Feathers and hair evolved from
reptilian scales and all three contain keratin. This view gets a
stronger support from the fact that Monotremes i.e. Primitive
mammals and living reptiles have close resemblances in their
anatomical features, including soft as well as hard parts.
9
Reptiles-like Mammals
Before the arrival of the true mammals, there lived a group of reptiles, today extinct
called as Synapsida, which acquired many mammalian characteristics. They have
lived through the Permian and Triassic periods dating back 280 million years ago. The
more mammals like synapsids belonged to the Order Therapsida. One of the most
advanced carnivorous therapsid was called Cynognathus which lived during the
Triassic period. It was wolf sized and showed the following mammalian characteristics:
1. Typical upright mammalian limbs capable of generating considerable speed.
2. Skull with 2 occipital condyles, secondary palate and enlarged lateral temporal
fossa.
3. Largest bone of lower jaw was dentary.
4. Dentition consisted of incisors, canines and chewing molars.
10
Polyphyletic origin:
The origin of mammals is polyphyletic because they derive
from atleast 2 Triassic reptilian stocks,i.e.
1.cynodonts and
2.Ictidosaurs.
It is generally assumed that living Protheria possibly evolved
from the docodonts, while Metatheria and Eutheria evolved
independently from the pantotherians, by the end of
cretaceous period.
11
12
First True Mammals:
Mammals are the only living synapsids. The synapsid lineage became distinct from the
sauropsid lineage in the late Carboniferous period, between 320 and 315 million years ago. The
first small mammals evolved over 220 million years ago from a therapsid ancestor. Fossil
remains mainly teeth and jaws, reveal very little about the first true mammals.
● They were mostly tiny creatures no bigger than rats and mice, and insignificant.
They were nocturnal thus avoiding direct conflict and competition with the mostly diurnal reptiles.
●
They were either burrowing hunting for insects or arboreal in contrast to their ground dwelling
●
herbivorous or carnivorous contemporaries.
They have regulated high body temperature i.e. endothermic with hairy integument and probably
●
carried young ones in their pouches for further development after birth and for safety purposes.
They were endowed with larger brains and with greater intelligence.
●
➔By the end of the Cretaceous period i.e. The Mesozoic Age, the vast majority of dominant
reptiles became extinct for reasons which are still well not understood.
➔ By the mid-Triassic, there were many synapsid species that looked like mammals. Later on, the
eutherian and metatherian lineages separated.
13
Monotremes:
Teinolophos, from Australia, is the earliest known monotreme.
A 2007 study (published 2008) suggests that it was not a
basal monotreme but a full-fledged platypus, and therefore
that the platypus and echidna lineages diverged considerably
earlier. A more recent study (2009), however, has suggested
that while Teinolophos was a type of platypus, it also was a
basal monotreme and predated the radiation of modern
monotremes.
14
15
CLASSIFICATION OF MAMMALS:
16
PROTHERIA: (Gr. Protos-first and
therios-beast)
• They are highly primitive and reptile like.
• They are the only egg laying mammals that is why oviparous
animals.
• This subclass is comprised of only 1 order i.e. Monotremata.
Order: Monotremata
(Gr. Monos - single and trema - opening)
• They have only one cloacal opening present.
• They are confined to the Australian continent
Only.
• Examples of Monotremes are Duckbill platypus
(Ornithorhynchus anatinus), Spiny Anteater(Echidnas).
17
THERIA: (Gr. Ther - animal)
• They are the modern and typical animals.
• These are the mammals which give birth to the living young
ones i.e. viviparous.
• This order is subdivided into 2 infraclasses:
1) Metatheria
2) Eutheria
18
METATHERIA: (Gr. Meta - after)
• They are the pouched and viviparous mammals.
• They maybe with or without a rudimentary yolksac placenta.
• They are mostly confined to Australian region.
• It comprises of only 1 order i.e. Order Marsupialia.
Order: Marsupialia (Gr. Marsypion - pouch)
• These are the animals born in a very
immature state, and complete their development
attached to the tits or the nipples of the abdominal
pouch or marsupium.
• Usually 3 premolars and 4 molars in each jaw
on the either side are present. Vagina is double.
• Examples of this order are Kangaroo(Macropus), etc.
19
EUTHERIA: (Gr. Eu- true and therios -
beast)
• These are the higher viviparous placental mammals
without marsupium.
• Young ones are born in a relatively adult state.
• Dentition never exceeds 3143/3143 = 44
• Eutherians constitute the vast majority of living mammals
arranged in 14 orders.
20
(1) Insectivora (L. insectum- insect, vorare- to eat).
Testes are abdominal. The water shrew is the tiniest mammal which
is as large as a human thumb e.g., shrews (Sorex), and hedgehogs
(Erinaceinae).
(2) Dermoptera (Gr. derm- skin, pteron- wing):
A hairy skin fold called patagium extends like a parachute from neck
to tail for gliding, e.g., flying lemours (Cynocephalus volans).
(3) Chiroptera (Gk. Cheiros- hand pteron- wing):
They are flying mammals. The forelimbs are modified into wings, e g
bats and flying foxes (Pteropus).
21
(4) Edentata (L edentatus- toothless):
They are toothless. This order includes the armadillos (Dasypus) and sloths
(Folivora).
(5) Phoiidota (Gk. pholis- a homy scale):
The body of these mammals is covered with overlapping horny scales with sparse
hair in between. Teeth are absent, e.g. Scaly anateater (Manis).
(6) Primates (L. primus- of the first rank):
Primates have highly developed brain. The living primates include prosimians
(meaning before monkeys) and simians. The prosimians include lemur , and the
simians include monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), apes and men (Homo sapiens).
(7) Rodentia (L. rodo- gnaw):
They have one pair of sharp chisel-like incisors in each jaw. The canines are absent,
leaving a toothless space, the diastema in the jaw no canines, e.g., White rats
(Albino rats), squirrels(Funambulus), and porcupines (Hystrix).
22
(8) Lagomorpha (Gk. logos- hare, morphe- form):
They have two pairs of incisors in the upper jaw and one pair of
incisors in the lower jaw and no canines, e.g., rabbits (Oryctolagus
ruficaudatus) and hares (Lepus nigricolis).
(9) Cetacea (L. cetus- whale):
They have fish-like body, well adapted for aquatic life.
●
They have fin-like forelimbs, but no hind limbs.
●
●The skin has a thick layer of fat called blubber serving as reserve
food, an insulator for reducing the specific gravity.
●They do not have sweat and oil glands, e g whales, dolphins and
porpoises.
23
(10) Carnivora (L. Caro- flesh, vorare- to eat):
They are flesh eating mammals. These animals have sharp pointed canines, strong
jaws and well developed claws, e.g., dog (Canis lupus), cat (Felis catus), lion
(Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris).
(11) Proboscidea (Gk. pro- in front, boskein- to eat):
They have a long muscular trunk. They are thick skinned animals hence called
pachyderms (Gk. pachys – thick, derm – Skin). They are the largest land animals,
e.g., elephants (Loxodonta).
(12) Sirenia (Gk. siren- sea nymph):
They are herbivorous aquatic mammals with fin-like forelimbs and no hind limbs. They
have few hairs and do not have external ears. They have thick blubber. Testes are
abdominal. The males have tusks, e.g., Manatee (Trichechus), etc.
24
(13) Perissodactyla (Gk. perissos- odd, dactylos- toes):
They are herbivorous odd-toed hoofed mammals or ungulates (L. ungula- hoof) or
●
hoofed which have an odd number of toes (1 or 3). True horns with a bony core are
never present.
The stomach is of non-ruminating type (these are not cud chewing animals) e.g.,
●
horses (Equus caballus), zebras (Equus quagga), etc.
(14) Artiodactyla (Gk. artios- even, dactylos- digit):
●They are herbivorous even toed hoofed mammals or ungulates (hoofed) which have
even number of toes (2 or 4). True horns or antlers are present in many animals of this
order. Many even toed hoofed mammals like cow and camel are ruminants or cud-
chewing.
●The four chambered stomach of cow is capable of digesting cellulose of plant
materials by micro-organisms present in the rumen (first part of their stomach) e.g.,
cows (Bos taurus), buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), sheep (Ovis aries), camels (Camelus),
etc.
25
26
