Click the picture to learn more about the black bear.
What is a mammal? A mammal is
EVOLUTION OF MAMMALS
How did mammals evolve?
ORDERS, FAMILIES AND SPECIES OF MAMMALS
Today's mammals of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem and temperate waters can be put into about 9 categories, or what scientists call "orders".
1. Carnivores: Carnivores have long, sharp teeth for slicing meat, 5 toes on the front feet and 4 or 5 on the hind feet. Some eat animals they have killed themselves, others eat a good amount of plant food as well as meat.
Click the picture to learn more about the black bear.
Carnivore Families of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem and temperate waters
Click the picture to learn more about the mountain lion.
2. Seals: Seals, unlike whales and other marine mammals, are closely related to carnivores. These ocean-dwelling mammals feed mostly on fish and other small aquatic animals. Their torpedo-like bodies feature front and hind flippers and no tail. Their nostrils close when submerged. Fine fur, which appears dark when wet but becomes paler when dry, covers most species of seals. Seals "haul out" onto rocks, beaches, and ice floes only to rest, mate and raise their young.
Seal Family of the temperate waters
3. Rodents: These gnawing mammals outnumber those of all other orders combined. Rodents are active mostly at night, protected by the cover of darkness and have bulbous eyes on the sides of their heads. This helps them detect danger from nearly all directions at once. They are very active and their high birth rate usually makes up for the great number of rodents that are caught by many predators. Most rodents have 4 toes on the forefeet and 5 toes on the hind feet. They have 2 incisor teeth on top. Rabbits have 4 on top and 2 teeth below. Rodents lack canine teeth. They have a gap between the incisors and the molars.
Click the picture to learn more about the field mouse.
Click the picture to learn more about the beaver.
Rodent Families of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem
Click the picture to learn more about the woodchuck.
4. Rabbits and Hares: of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. Rabbits look a lot like rodents, but they have 4 upper incisor teeth rather than 2.
Rabbit and Hare Family of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem
5. Bats: Bats are the only mammals that have wings and truly fly. A bat's wing is a tough membrane of skin that covers its extra-long arm, hand and finger bones. The membrane stretches from the forelimb, down the side of the body to the leg. All North American bats use a form of "radar" called "echo location" to catch their insect prey and to avoid objects. They give off high-pitched squeaks that strike objects and bounce back to their ears as echoes. By listening to those echoes, the bats can "read" their surroundings. Some bats roost in vast colonies in caves. Others roost alone in trees or in attics, always hanging upside down. Some bats migrate south for the winter, others hibernate. Bats are a major natural weapon against flying insect pests. Bat houses can be put up to encourage roosting in your backyard.
Bat Family of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem
6. Hoofed Mammals: These heavy plant-eating mammals have 2 toes on each foot.
Hoofed Mammal Family of the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem
7. Whales: Although fishlike in form, whales, including dolphins and porpoises, are true mammals. All whales have a pair of front flippers and a tail. They breathe through l or 2 nostrils on the top of their head which are called blow holes. The cloud of vapor created as they exhale is called a blow or spout and is useful in spotting and identifying different species of whales. Most whales are fast swimmers and deep divers, reaching up to 23 mph and remaining submerged up to 2 hours.
Click the picture to learn more about the humpback whale.
Whale and Porpoise Families of the temperate waters
8. Insectivores: These small, energetic mammals have long, pointed snouts and tiny, bead like eyes. Unlike mice, most insectivores such as shrews and moles have short dense fur covering their ears and have 5 clawed toes on each foot. Using their numerous sharp teeth, insectivores prey on insects, earthworms, spiders, fish, frogs and carrion (dead animals).
9. Marsupials: have been on earth longer than almost any other order of mammals. Their pea-sized young are born blind and naked and complete their development in a fur-lined pouch called a marsupium on the belly of their mother. While most marsupials are found in Australia there is one species in the temperate deciduous forest: the Opossum.
Habitats: sea, fresh water, forest, cities, mountains
Niches: herbivore, insectivore, carnivore, detritivore -carrion eater
Ecological importance of mammals:
