Mammals

• which kingdom are the mammals in?

  Animalia
• which phylum are the mammals in?

  Chordata
• which subphylum are the mammals in?

  vertebrata
• which class are the mammals in?

  mammalia
• what order are humans in?

  Primates
• what family are humans in?

  hominidae
• what genus are humans?

  homo
• what species are humans?

  Homo sapiens
• name three of the defining characteristics of mammals?

  mammary glands, hair and a neocortex
• what does a neocortex give rise to?

  higher cognitive functioning
• how many middle ear bones do mammals have?

  three
• what does vivipary mean?

  giving birth to live young
• what did modern day mammals originate from?

  synapsid reptiles
• what was the first ever mammal?

  a small shrew like mammal that appeared in the triassic period
• what are the three major groups of mammals according to their patterns of embryonic development?

  prototherian, metatherian and eutherian
• what are protetherians?

  monotremes - all egg layers
• what are metatherians?

  marsupials - give birth to young, however the gestation period is very short and development happens in a pouch
• what are eutherians?

  all placentals
• what is the dominant mating system in mammals?

  polygyny
• what is eusociality?

  when non breeding females are sterile so only one breeding female (the queen) and the males are sexually active
• what happens in communal breeding?

  many females breed and share the offspring within the group
• what does communal breeding result in?

  low reproductive skew
• what can increase reproductive skew in communal breeding however?

  competition between same sex individuals or breeding constraints such as food scarcity
• who is communal breeding restricted to?

  primates, carnivores and rodents
• what is semi-social?

  forming temporary groups or only coming together in certain times, such as for protection, reproduction or warmth