How many species of mammals currently live on Earth? How do they adapt to the living environment? ... are questions that must be of great interest to many people. Here are 10 interesting facts about mammals that probably not everyone knows.
How many species of mammals currently live on Earth? How do they adapt to the living environment? ... are questions that must be of great interest to many people. Here are 10 interesting facts about mammals that probably not everyone knows.
1. How many species of mammals are there in the world?
According to scientists, on Earth there are about 5,500 species of mammals belonging to 1,200 genera, 200 families, 25 different orders. Although this is a fairly large number, if compared with 10,000 species of birds, 30,000 species of fish and 5 million species of insects, we can see that mammals are "poorly" few.
2. Not all mammals have nipples.
All mammals have mammary glands and milk their young, but not all have nipples. Animals that feed on milk, but do not have nipples are called monotremes, including species such as platypuses, marsupials, etc.
3. All mammals have hair.
According to scientists, all mammals living on Earth have hair. In which, most species carry a coat of cilia throughout their life, while a few species only have hair for a short period. Typically dolphins and whales, they also have a coat for a short time while in the mother's womb.
4. All mammals are descended from reptiles.
At the end of the Triassic period, about 230 million years ago, some reptiles belonging to the order Zodiac evolved the first mammals. However, it was not until 165 million years later, when the last dinosaurs died, that mammals became the rulers of the Earth.
5. All mammals have a fairly similar body structure.
After studying and statistics about mammals, scientists have proven that all mammals have a pretty similar body anatomical structure.
6. Mammals split into 2 different branches.
Some scientists believe that mammals are divided into two different branches: "Metatherians" and "Eutherians". Of these, the Eutherians are the extant members that branched out during the early Cretaceous or perhaps the late Jurassic, and the Metatherians are marsupials.
7. Mammals are warm-blooded.
All mammals are warm-blooded. This helps them to retain body heat and metabolize energy.
8. Mammals have the highest social behavior.
Thanks to their large brains, mammals have higher intelligence than other species. This makes them more inclined to social organization.
9. Young children are forced to take care of their parents.
One of the biggest differences between mammals and other species is that they require parental care to thrive. Specifically, while most reptiles and amphibians are born with the ability to forage for food and live independently, mammals need to be cared for by their parents to grow and develop.
10. Mammals have very good adaptability to the environment.
After more than 50 million years of evolution, mammals have proven extremely well adapted to their environment. From deep seas, hot sandy deserts to tropical rainforests... there are mammals everywhere.
