What are mammals
When it comes to clarifying what mammals are, many are usually content with the fact that they give birth to their young alive and the offspring are suckled. This representation is, however, a little shortened.
The mammals form only one class among the inhabitants of the earth
- Mammals are grouped together with reptiles, birds, amphibians and fish to form the group of vertebrates. This unites u. a. a multi-layered skin and a typical nervous system with a separate differentiation to a brain, which is protected by a hardened skull.
- Humans are both vertebrates and mammals. They also belong to the subcategory of placenta animals that give birth to their offspring alive. Contrary to popular belief, there are definitely mammals that lay eggs, such as the platypus.
What mammals are and what characteristics they are characterized by
- The majority of mammals give birth to their offspring alive. However, this feature does not necessarily mean that an animal can be classified as a mammal. For this, other properties must also be available.
- Mammalia suckle their young with milk and live mainly on land. But there are also mammals that can be found in the air and in the water. Prominent examples are whales, seals and bats.
- A fur made of hair is not necessary to be able to count an animal as a mammal, but if it is present, the affiliation is not to be doubted.
- Mammals are warm-blooded animals and can venture into colder areas, not least because of their body hair. This in turn requires the mammalia to consume more energy and need more food than other animals of the same size.
- The diet of mammals is just as varied as the appearance. So they are either carnivores (carnivores), herbivores (herbivores) or omnivores (omnivores). The human can be counted to the latter kind of Mammalia.
In what physical characteristics do birds and mammals resemble each other?
Even though a bird is not a mammal, there is still a ...
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