Mammals live in many Environments MAMMALS ARE A DIVERSE GROUP MAMMALS ARE ENDOTHERMS MAMMALS HAVE...

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Mammals live in many Environments • MAMMALS ARE A DIVERSE GROUP • MAMMALS ARE ENDOTHERMS • MAMMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO MANY ENVIRONMENTS • MAMMALS HAVE REPRODUCTIVE ADAPTATIONS

Transcript of Mammals live in many Environments MAMMALS ARE A DIVERSE GROUP MAMMALS ARE ENDOTHERMS MAMMALS HAVE...

Mammals live in many Environments

• MAMMALS ARE A DIVERSE GROUP

• MAMMALS ARE ENDOTHERMS

• MAMMALS HAVE ADAPTED TO MANY ENVIRONMENTS

• MAMMALS HAVE REPRODUCTIVE ADAPTATIONS

Mammals are a diverse group• Mice, cows, elephants,chimps, bats, whales & you

are all mammals. Some do well in cities, while others need very specific environments.

• Less than 5000 mammal species but come in many shapes & sizes, with different ways to move, find food and eat.

• All mammals: • -have HAIR during some part of their life

– Most have TEETH for consuming food– ALL produce MILK to feed their young

Mammals are Endotherms• Use food to generate body heat & have adaptations to control

body heat.

• Hair: may keep warm in cold (polar bear fur) or protect from extreme heat (camel hair)

• Soft, fluffy underhair keeps heat close to body; water-resistant guard hair covers underhairs & gives fur its color.

• Specialized hairs are used also– Whiskers (sensory touch hairs

– Quills of porcupine for self defense.

Mammals are Endotherms, cont.• Some mammals (like dolphins & whales) have little hair, but a layer of

fat called blubber to help maintain body temperature. (insulates organs from heat & cold)

• Body fat also stores energy in mammals, in the form of fat cells.– Hibernating animals may eat a lot more when food is available.– This makes them fat, so while hibernating, they don’t have to eat,

just live off their fat.

Mammals adapt to many Environments

• Some live underground: moles have strong claws to dig and can sense prey in the dark.

• Some live in trees: spider monkey can use its 4 limbs and tail to move through forest and never touch ground

• Some live in water: dolphins have blowhole, flippers & blubber to survive in water.

Mammals & Reproduction• Reproduce sexually by finding a

mate; may do this only certain time of year or all through the year.

• Internal fertilization, then offspring develops inside of female; usually a special organ (PLACENTA) transports nutrients, water & oxygen from mom’s blood to babies.

• Gestation = time it takes for baby to develop in mom before birth.

• Exceptions: platypus & spiny anteater have young hatching from eggs. Marsupials(opossum & kangaroos) have pouches where young finish developing after birth.

Raising Young• Milk (high energy liquid food full of protein, fat, sugar &

nutrients) is the first food young mammals consume.

• Mammary glands make milk in female mammals. For most mammals, only females care for young.

• Different mammals take different amounts of time to care for young before they’re on their own. (giraffes can walk as soon as born, seals nurse for only a month till on own, and humans take longest of all till are “on their own” without parents help.