Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Mammals
To identify an animal as a mammal, it should have these characteristics:
- Mammals have a backbone. They are vertebrates.
- All mammals are endothermic. They can regulate their body temperature.
- Female mammals produce milk to nourish their young
- Almost all mammals give birth to live young (except for the platypus and echidna)
- Mammals have hair.
- Mammals have specialized teeth
Follow the link above to see more mammals!
3 types of mammals
–Monotremes
- in Australia
- Lay soft leathery eggs
- Echidnas and Platypus
–Marsupials
- Most in Australia, one species in the Americas
- Have very immature young (not premature!)
- Most have pouches they carry their young in
- Kangaroos, possums, opossums, koalas, etc.
–Placental Mammals
- Have a placenta
- Birth to more developed young
- Often nurse for less time than marsupials
- Around the world (not native to Australia)
biodiversitybasics 