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Subclass placenta. Placentals are common in all parts of the world, with the exception of Australia. Placentals include all domestic mammals. From the highest group of placental - monkeys - there was a person.
In higher mammals, in comparison with the two previously considered groups - cloacals and marsupials - the whole organization has become more complicated. It was in the placental that it reached its highest development nervous system, especially the forebrain cortex and the associated high ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and the rudiments of rational nervous activity. The same should be said about the system of organs of locomotion, about the respiratory, circulatory, digestive and other systems. The body temperature of placentals is much higher than that of cloacae and marsupials. It is maintained, as a rule, at the same level, which indicates a high metabolic rate and complex thermoregulation.
Order of insectivores. This order includes the lowest of modern placental mammals (moles, hedgehogs, shrews, desmans, etc.). These are small or small animals with a characteristic elongated proboscis. The forebrain is small, with developed olfactory lobes, has no convolutions, its hemispheres do not close the cerebellum, and in some even the midbrain is visible. Accordingly, the cranium is small. The teeth are poorly differentiated.
Detachment woolly. Mammals adapted for short distance gliding by means of a hairy web stretched between the neck, flank, limbs, and tail.
Order of bats or bats (Chiroptera). Mammals adapted for long flight.
Order lagomorphs (Lagomorpha). A small detachment (about 60 species), Animals of small size (hares, rabbits) and small size (pikas, or haystacks), as a rule, with strongly developed ears, long hind legs and very short tail. Herbivorous.
Squad of rodents (Glires). The largest detachment of placentals, numbering about 2500 species (mice, rats, squirrels, jerboas, flying squirrels, gerbils, hamsters, voles, porcupines, capybara, nutria, beavers, mole rats, etc.). They live in the most different conditions, some are well adapted to an arboreal lifestyle, to gliding flight, to life in water, underground, etc. No fangs .. The intestines are very long
Detachment carnivores (Carnivora, or Fissipedia). Strong animals, predominantly medium and large in size, feeding, as a rule, on vertebrates. This order includes families: canine, bear, raccoon, marten, civet, hyena, cat.
Order pinnipeds (Pinnipedia). Large mammals adapted to long stays in water (in the seas and some large lakes) and move poorly on land. These include walruses, eared seals
Order cetaceans (Cetacea). Large and gigantic mammals that spend their entire lives in the water. The shape of the body is fish-like, the neck is not pronounced, the head is very large (in large whales, its length exceeds 1/3 of the length of the entire body.
65. Detachments Predatory. Features of the structure and life. representatives.
Squad PREDATORY (Carnivora) Animals included in the squad of predators stand out from other groups of mammals with an extraordinary variety appearance, body size, biological features, adaptations to the habitat, methods of movement, etc. Suffice it to say that the order of predators includes a miniature weasel, a mighty tiger, and a huge polar bear. Most predatory animals lead a terrestrial lifestyle, but certain species, such as minks and otters, have become inhabitants of fresh water, and sea otters have become marine animals. Contrary to their name, some carnivores prefer not to eat meat, but insects, aquatic invertebrates, and even plant foods. Accordingly, they differ greatly in their biology, giving wide range adaptive types.
The body length of carnivores ranges from 14 cm to 3 m, weight from 100 g to 1000 kg. The shape of the body varies from elongated, flexible to massive, sometimes awkward. Some animals have tall, slender limbs, while many others have short, clumsy ones. Each paw has at least four toes, while bears and dogs have five. They are armed with claws, especially sharp in cats, which (with the exception of the cheetah) can retract (some viverras also have retractable claws). On the contrary, in certain species of otters and in the sea otter, the claws have turned into a kind of nails.
Representatives of two genera of raccoons and civets have a prehensile tail. The external auricles of most species of carnivores are well developed, pointed, those of the fox and big-eared fox are unusually large, while those of the arctic fox, ermine, weasel and others barely protrude from the surrounding fur, and the sea otter are underdeveloped. All predatory animals have a well-developed hairline, varying in density, length, splendor, and color. Many species are characterized by variegated fur color (spotted, striped, and others), which reaches its greatest brightness in southern forms. In some northern species, a seasonal change in color is observed - whitening of fur in winter (weasel, ermine, arctic fox) or its significant lightening (polar wolf).
In accordance with the nature of nutrition, the skull in most species of carnivores has highly developed crests, widely spaced zygomatic arches, and sometimes also large processes in the occiput, which serve to attach powerful muscles. The number of teeth varies from 28 to 48. The geographical distribution of the order is very wide. Predatory are found all over the globe, not counting Antarctica and small oceanic islands. Particularly extensive ranges are characteristic of the canine, mustelid, and bear families. The order of carnivores includes 7 families, which are naturally combined into 2 suborders: Arctoidea (or Canoidea) and Aeluroidea (or Feloidea). The first includes the families of canines, bears, raccoons, mustelids, the second - viverrids, hyenas, cats.
The order of carnivores currently includes approximately 100 genera and more than 240 species. Of these, 18 genera and 43 species are distributed in Europe.
The vast majority (about 4500 species) of modern mammals distributed throughout the globe belong to higher (placental) animals. Placental mammals are combined into one group according to the following common features. They have a well-developed cortex of the forebrain, the placenta develops, there are no brood bags. The nipples of the mammary glands are well developed, their number corresponds to the number of cubs. The babies suckle their own milk. Body temperature in adults placental high and constant. They are characterized by complex behavior: they take care of the cubs, teach them, live not only in families, but also in herds.
Placental - prosperous and large group modern mammals, consisting of 16-19 orders. The most important of them are the following.
Insectivores. Representatives of this order are small animals (3.5-40 cm long), distributed on all continents except Australia and South America (Fig. 207). This is a relatively primitive group. Numerous teeth are undifferentiated - they are conical and similar to each other. The brain is small, hemispheres without convolutions. Most insectivores eat not only insects, but also other invertebrates: worms, mollusks, spiders. Large representatives of the detachment feed on frogs, lizards, small animals.
Rice. 207. Representatives of the order Insectivores: 1 - hedgehog; 2 - mole; 3 - common shrew (shrew)
There are about 400 species in the order. In our country, hedgehogs, moles, shrews are common. In wetlands Central Russia inhabited by a rare, small semi-aquatic animal - the Russian muskrat. It is 20 cm in size, the length of the tail is the same. The muskrat has thick soft brownish-brown silvery fur. The desman has become very rare due to habitat disturbance. Feeds on mollusks, worms, insects. Included in the Red Data Book of the VSOP and Russia.
Chiroptera, or Bats. Representatives of this detachment have adapted to flight. A leathery membrane is stretched between the forelimbs, trunk, hind limbs and tail (Fig. 208). The sternum has a keel to which the flight muscles are attached.
Rice. 208. Representatives of the order Chiroptera: 1 - fruit bat; 2 - horseshoe; 3 - arrowhead
Bats have two toes on their forelimbs and all toes on their hind limbs are free. These animals are capable of echolocation: they emit ultrasounds and pick up their reflection from objects. Therefore, even in the dark, bats do not stumble on objects and catch insects. Representatives of bats usually have a body length in the range of 3-40 cm.
There are about 1000 species in the order. In Russia, the common night bat, the red evening bat, and several types of kozhanov are more common.
Bats mainly feed on insects, catching them in the air. Large frugivorous bats are common in the tropics. Vampires live in South America, which feed on the blood of large animals, are dangerous to humans, and carry rabies.
Rodents. The order unites about 2000 modern species. These are small and medium-sized animals (Fig. 209). The smallest mice are about 5 cm long, and the largest rodent is the South American capybara, or capybara, reaching 130 cm in length. The rodents are numerous species mice, voles, ground squirrels, marmots, beavers and squirrels.
Rice. 209. Representatives of the order Rodents: 1 - common hamster; 2 - gopher; 3 - capybara (capybara); 4 - marmot; 5 - dormouse
Rodents are mainly herbivores. Their well-developed incisors have an important feature: their front surface is covered with stronger enamel than the back, so they are ground off with solid food faster from behind than from the front, and always remain sharp. The incisors are constantly growing. There are no fangs, so there is an empty space between the incisors and the molars. The molars are flattened from above, and their horizontal surface is covered with folds.
Rodents are common in all natural and climatic zones, absent only in the Arctic ice deserts and in Antarctica. Many dig complex burrows and spend most of their lives underground. There are species that lead a semi-aquatic and arboreal lifestyle. Many rodents have valuable fur, they are hunted and bred in cages. These are the squirrel, muskrat, nutria, chinchilla.
Lagomorphs. Representatives of this small (about 60 species) order are in many ways similar to rodents (Fig. 210). Like rodents, they feed on plant foods, have well-developed incisors, only in the upper jaw, unlike rodents, they have two pairs of incisors: longer ones on the outside, short ones are located behind them on the inside. The intestine, like that of rodents, is elongated, with a well-developed caecum, where solid fiber is digested.
Rice. 210. Representatives of the order Lagomorphs: 1 - hare; 2 - pika; 3 - European rabbit
The white hare and the hare are common species in the forest and forest-steppe regions of Russia. They are of great commercial importance. The wild rabbit lives in the south of Western Europe. Numerous breeds of domestic rabbit were bred from him.
Rodents and lagomorphs are the most numerous placental orders, which play an important role in biocenoses as the primary consumers of plants and themselves serve as prey for predatory reptiles, birds, and mammals. Have important practical value like furry animals. Among them are many pests of cultivated plants and disease vectors.
Predatory. The detachment includes 270 species of animals of medium and large sizes. The body length of the smallest animal - weasels is about 11 cm (weight 100 g); body length of the largest animals - tiger and polar bear about 3 m (the mass of a polar bear is up to 1000 kg). The vast majority are active predators (Fig. 211). Prey is pursued or ambushed.
Rice. 211. Representatives of the order Predatory: 1 - pine marten; 2 - brown bear: 3 - fox; 4 - tiger
Predators have well developed teeth. They have large pointed fangs. The last (fourth) premolars of the upper jaw and the first molars of the lower jaw are large, have sharp high tops and are called carnivores. They serve to gnaw bones and tendons.
The wool of predatory animals is long and thick. They run well, relying on the entire foot or on the toes. The stomach is simple, the intestines are relatively short. Predatory animals are characterized by complex behavior in obtaining food and caring for offspring. They have well developed hemispheres of the forebrain, which have convolutions.
There are seven families in the order Predatory. The Wolf family unites strong slender animals with a large head and an elongated muzzle. The auricles are large, with a pointed apex. Legs with blunt non-retractable claws. This family includes wolves, dogs, jackals, foxes, arctic foxes. These animals sometimes pursue prey during group hunting. The wolf is one of the first animals domesticated by man. About 400 breeds of dogs have been bred, including guard, hunting, sledding, and decorative ones. Foxes are used in cage fur farming. The cat family combines medium and large animals with a flexible body and a rounded head. The eyes are large. The claws of all, except for the cheetah, are long, sharp, retractable. The prey is ambushed. Felines include the tiger, lee, leopard, lynx, wild forest cat, and domestic cat breeds. The cheetah lives in the savannas and deserts of Africa and South Asia. Unlike other cats, it pursues prey, reaching speeds of up to 112 km/h. The cheetah is highly tameable and was previously used for hunting. Cheetahs have become very rare, therefore they are included in the Red Book of the WSOP.
The Bear family includes large animals. Yes, body weight brown bear about 600 kg, white - about 1000 kg. The head of the bears is large, the auricles are small and rounded, the eyes are small. When walking, they lean on the foot. They sneak up on prey and in a throw develop speeds of up to 50 km / h. Bears give birth to small cubs: a brown she-bear in a den gives birth to a cub about 20 cm long and weighing 500 g. The Cunya family includes small and medium-sized animals with a flexible, elongated body and short limbs. Their fur is thick and soft. Among mustelids there are many valuable fur-bearing animals (sable, marten, mink, otter, ermine), which are hunted. Some mustelids have been successfully bred in captivity for valuable fur.
Predatory animals play an important role in natural ecosystems: they hunt birds and animals, eat amphibians and reptiles. Large predators attack smaller members of their order. The role of predators as regulators of the number of small rodents, including pests of cultivated plants, is great. Predators have a healing effect on prey populations, destroying diseased animals as they are easier to get. By this they prevent the spread of mass diseases - epizootics.
placental mammals- an extensive group of animals, among which there are both primitive animals (such as insectivores) and highly specialized ones (for example, bats). The rodents have importance as pests of cultivated plants. Predators regulate the number of their prey in ecosystems. Representatives of rodents, hares, predators are objects of hunting. Many species are used in cage fur farming.
Lesson learned exercises
- On the basis of what features does the order Insectivora belong to the most primitive placental mammals?
- Using figures 209 and 210, prove the similarities in the structure and life of representatives of the groups Rodents and Lagomorphs.
- Consider Figure 211. Name the distinctive features of the structure and behavior of representatives of predatory animals. What role do they play in biocenoses?
The majority of modern mammals belong to the infraclass Placentals (higher animals). Placental nutrients and oxygen enters the body of the fetus from the mother's body through a special temporary organ - the placenta, which is formed by connecting the chorion with the wall of the uterus. Chorion - a spongy body, arises as a result of the fusion of the outer wall of the allantois with the outer shell of the fetus - the serosa. From the chorion deep into the thickened wall of the uterus grow numerous thin outgrowths - villi, rich in blood vessels and capillaries. The complex network of the latter comes into close proximity with the capillaries and blood lacunae of the thickened wall of the mother's uterus, which allows nutrients and oxygen to flow osmotically from the mother's blood into the blood of the embryo. From the placenta, they are transferred through the blood vessels of the umbilical cord to the body of the embryo. Other vessels of the cord, carrying blood from the embryo to the placenta, carry out the products of dissimilation of the embryo. There are no marsupial bones in the skeleton. The angular process of the mandible does not fold inwards, as in marsupials.
There are several types of placenta: diffuse, when the villi are evenly distributed over the entire surface of the chorion (cetaceans, many ungulates); lobed (cotyledonous), when the villi are collected in separate parts of the chorion in the form of spots (most ruminants); zonal (annular, when the papillae are located in a wide belt (some carnivores, elephants); discoidal, when the villi are collected in one sharply limited area of the chorion, which has the shape of a disk (rodents, monkeys, humans). The placenta can be falling away and not falling away. In the first case, due to the fact that the chorionic villi are firmly connected to the uterine mucosa, placental rejection during childbirth is accompanied by falling off of part of the uterine wall and bleeding (carnivores, rodents, monkeys). as during childbirth, the chorionic villi come out of the recesses of the uterine mucosa without damaging it, without bleeding.
The presence of a connection through the placenta with the mother's body allows the embryo to remain in the female's uterus for a relatively long time and reach a much higher stage of development in it than the embryos of marsupials. newborns placentals are able to independently suck milk from the mammary glands of the mother, which have well-developed nipples.
The brain with a well-developed secondary cerebral fornix - neopallium, the right and left halves of which are connected by the corpus callosum. Teeth, as a rule, are well differentiated into incisors, canines and molars. There is no cloaca. The coracoid bone has become a process of the scapula.
common across the globe on land, seas and oceans. Body temperature in adult placental high and constant
Placental or Higher Beasts
These include most species of mammals. They have a well-developed brain, high constant body temperature; there is a placenta and mammary glands that have nipples. Babies are able to suckle milk. Thanks to high organization placentals widely settled throughout the Earth and adapted to living in a wide variety of conditions.
Modern placental have several orders.
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In higher animals, or placentals, the embryo develops in the uterus of the female, where the placenta is formed. Placental have a constant high temperature body (+36-38 ° C). Higher animals make up the vast majority of living mammals (about 4500 species).
The Insectivora series unites placental mammals of a primitive structure. These animals are small in size, feeding mainly on small invertebrates and insects. This explains the origin of their name. hallmark These mammals have a nose that looks like an elongated proboscis, and thick velvety hair (mole, muskrat) or hard needles (hedgehog).
Insectivores are the oldest placental mammals. They are the ancestors of all modern higher animals.
Family eat. It includes unusual and cute animals. The back, sides and back of the head are covered with hard needles (this is a modified hair). The belly and muzzle have a coarse woolen cover. In case of danger, hedgehogs curl up into a ball thanks to the action of well-developed subcutaneous muscles (these are the same muscles that raise the hair on end on your arms and form “goosebumps”). The common hedgehog lives in forests, fields, gardens and even in the parks of large cities. It feeds on insects, worms and small vertebrates (mice, lizards, small snakes), which are easily hunted, despite their clumsy appearance.
Many are surprised - how does a mother hedgehog give birth to such a prickly creature? It turns out that izhachenya are born pink and naked, and a few hours after birth, soft needles begin to grow in them, which harden in a few days.
The Mole family unites underground and aquatic animals. On the territory of our country, the common mole is common - a small, animal covered with short velvet fur, lives in the soil (Fig. 144). Crete almost never comes to the surface of the soil, and its underdeveloped eyes are hidden under the folds of the skin. Long passages - galleries the animal paves with strong front paws - shovels. Crete feeds on earthworms and insect larvae found in its underground passages.
Shrew family. Representatives of the genus outwardly resemble small moles, but lead a terrestrial or semi-aquatic lifestyle. In all our forests and meadows, the common shrew is common - a small dark-colored animal with a muzzle - a proboscis (Fig. 144).
A characteristic feature of the shrew is the dark brown enamel on the teeth. The shrew has its own measurement of time during the day; it goes to bed four times and wakes up four times. During wakefulness, the animal eats insects and worms more than it weighs itself. food in shrews is digested very quickly, so in a few hours she is hungry again.
The Chiroptera series (Fig. 145) unites ancient mammals that have adapted to free flight. This series includes more than 900 species of placental mammals. Bats are singled out in a row in it. If you have to carefully consider a bat, you will be convinced that bats are not at all scary, but even funny zvirks. - The bat has a fairly wide, large, dog-like nose, small wide-spaced eyes, a large, smile-stretched mouth, and large, slightly flattened ears.
The main feature of bats is the presence of real wings and the ability to long-term flapping flight.
» Bat wings are modified forelimbs. A flying membrane is stretched between the fingers, shoulders, "body and hind limbs, which increases the surface of the wing. / (Remember how the surface of the bird's wing increases.) Bats, like birds, have a keel to which strong pectoral muscles are attached, raise their wings Thanks to this adaptation, bats are able to fly, although at a low speed (only 20-30 km / h), but almost as virtuoso as birds, but they cannot soar, like eagles.
[ Thanks to echolocation - the ability of living organisms to issue and capture reflected from various items ultrasonic waves that the human ear cannot perceive, bats are well oriented in space, prey on insects. "They emit ultrasounds through the nasal and oral openings and, with the help of large auricles, they pick up the reflections of these sounds from surrounding objects. By the nature of the reflected sound bat recognizes obstacles in its path, insects that it feeds on, and enemies - birds of prey, determines the distance to them and even the speed of their flight. So ears are to a bat what eyes are to a human.
They tried to unravel the mystery of bats about 200 years ago, when the Italian scientist JI. Spallanzani discovered that bats are perfectly oriented in absolute darkness, and nocturnal birds - owls - are helpless under such conditions. He investigated if you cover up the ears with flying wax, then in the dark he loses the ability to navigate, there is a bat "sees" in the dark with its ears. Later, this version was refuted and a new one was put forward - some unknown “tactile at a distance” is characteristic of bats. And only in the XX century. scientists have found that bats emit ultrasounds that are reflected from surrounding objects and, returning back, help bats navigate in space.
Small bats feed on mosquitoes, midges, moths and even large beetles. Large bats, common in the tropics, hunt in the air, on land and water - so that the prey is of the right size. They feed on various insects, small birds, lizards, mouse-like rodents, and even fish, which they find thanks to echolocation, catching the slightest ripples on the surface of the water.
Interesting, but also terrible, are bloodsucking bats (they should not be confused with vampire bats, which, despite such a terrible name, do not belong to real bloodsuckers). Bloodsuckers are found in the South and Central America. their upper fangs and incisors have razor-sharp cutting edges. Small nocturnal animals are able to move quickly, like giant spiders, through the body of the victim. Bloodsuckers feed only on blood large mammals: horses, cows, goats and pigs. Sometimes they attack people who are sleeping. At night, the bloodsucker sneaks up to the animal, makes an incision in the skin and licks the blood out. Wounds then bleed for a long time and heal very slowly.
More than 20 species of bats are distributed on the territory of Ukraine. All of them need special protection. The usual species of our fauna are the red-headed evening bat, the water bat, the common rabbit, the late Lylyk (this bat occurs more often in cities near human habitation). Many species of bats are rare or endangered, these include the large horseshoe bat, the pond bat, and the huge vespers.
Row Rodents are the most numerous group of mammals (Fig. 146). The ubiquitous mice and rats, tempting squirrels and dormice, jumping jerboas, funny hamsters and amazing porcupines are just a small part of the rodents. The series unites about 2200 species of small and medium-sized animals, which is almost half of all known mammalian species.
Signs that help distinguish a rodent from other mammals are the absence of fangs and the presence of only two pairs of developed incisors that grow throughout life (Fig. 147).
The vast majority of rodents are herbivores. their diet is quite diverse and depends on the time of year and habitat. They feed on juicy greens, fruits, seeds, root crops and young bark. Some rodents do not adhere to a plant-based diet, but also eat insects and even small vertebrates. However, rodents do not hunt on purpose, but eat prey, it happens by chance.
Rodents are extremely prolific. The female gray vole gives birth to 5-10 children 3-4 times a year, which become sexually mature in a month and begin to breed. So, one pair of voles per season can give rise to about 180 individuals.
The European beaver is the largest in size among rodents common in our country. He is good at swimming and diving. It lives in holes that it digs on the shore, or builds the so-called "beaver hut" from branches. In summer, the beaver feeds on aquatic vegetation, and in winter, on the branches and bark of trees.
The common squirrel lives in all our forests and even in large parks. It is adapted for climbing trees, jumping from branch to branch, has fluffy fur, long ears and tail. The nest is arranged, like a bird, high in a tree. The squirrel feeds on seeds, nuts, acorns, juicy fruits, berries and mushrooms, eats insects with pleasure. She is even capable of behaving like a predator - destroying bird nests. Gophers and marmots, although they are close relatives of squirrels, are not able to climb and jump on trees. They live in large colonies in burrows and are diurnal. They feed on grass, roots and seeds, hibernate for the winter. These animals differ significantly in character and appearance. In particular, the speckled ground squirrel is a fragile creature with a vulnerable character. He stands on his hind legs for a long time, lowering his front legs on his tummy, and from time to time piercingly squeaks, warning of danger. He's worried for nothing. About 60 years ago, there were so many spotted ground squirrels on the territory of Ukraine that they caused damage to agriculture, and now the ground squirrel is an endangered animal.
A well-fed and venerable steppe marmot (baybak) looks different - a heavy body on small paws. This animal has a calm balanced character. The little groundhog is easy to tame.
Sonya gray is a representative of a special group of ancient rodents. In its habits and even in appearance (fluffy tail, tenacious paws), it resembles a squirrel. The animal's eyes are large and see well at night. Sonya makes a nest of leaves in the hollow of a tree. During the winter it goes into long hibernation.
The rodents also include the jerboa, which lives in the steppes and deserts. The jerboa has long ears, big eyes and a long tail with a tassel at the end. He is able to jump on his hind legs, like a small kangaroo.
Hamsters are not only those short-tailed pets that are often kept at home. Hamsters, common in America, deftly climb trees. They resemble long-tailed mice living in our area. A typical representative of our fauna is the common hamster.
Oddly enough, mice are tropical animals that have moved to our area. Most species of mice live in fields and forests. House mice happen in human dwellings.
A species of mammal close to mice is the gray rat, which is accustomed to the human habitat, settled on the land of all the globe, turning into a real disaster for civilization. Rats cause significant damage to agriculture, destroying almost half of the crop in some countries. They are able to carry pathogens of dangerous diseases. Once such a disease was the plague. In our time, there is still a danger of getting leptospirosis if you swim in ponds with stagnant water, near which gray rats live.
On the territory of Ukraine there are quite unusual and little-studied animals - blind men that live in the soil, digging long galleries in it and eating the roots and tubers of various plants. Blind people throw out excess soil of underground passages in the same way as moles, however, they pour heaps of earth that are much larger than mole ones (up to 1 m in diameter). Outwardly, blind men do not look like moles or any other animals: their huge incisors, with which they dig the ground, protrude and make a terrible impression. Most species of mole rats are listed in the Red Book.
