Mammals are part of the Animal Kingdom and are defined as vertebrates, meaning they have a skull and a backbone, the same as amphibians, fish, reptiles and birds. However birds and mammals are warm blooded separating them from cold blooded vertebrates. In addition to being warm blooded, the other differences that are unique to mammals placing them into their own Class are that mammals have hair and produce milk to nourish their young.
Mammals are further divided into 3 major groups.
>The first is called Monotremes, mammals that lay eggs like the platypus of Australia. >The second group is the Marsupials, mammals that raise their young in pouches. Maine has one species of marsupial, the Virginia Opossum. >Most mammals fall into the Group called Eutherians or Placentals. These are mammals that carry their unborn offspring inside their bodies much longer than the other groups and the young are nourished by the placenta during this time. Homo sapiens or humans, of course fall into this last group and belong to the Family of Primates of which there are no wild animals in this group found in Maine.
Taxonomic breakdown of mammals found in Maine.
Doman: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordates
Subphylum: Vertebrates
Class:Mammals
Individual Species are further categorized under Orders & Families
Order: Insectovores: Family of Moles & Shrews
Order: Chiroptera: Family of Bats
Order: Lagamorpha: Family of Rabbits & Hares
Order: Rodentia: Families of Squirrel, Woodchuck, Chipmunk, Beaver, Mice, Rats, Voles, Lemmings, Jumping Mice, Porcupine & Muskrat
Order: Cetacia: Family of Whales & Dolphins
Order: Carnivores: Families of Dogs, Bears, Weasels, Cats & Raccoons
Order: Pinnipedia: Family of Seals
Order: Artiodactyla Family of even-toed ungulates – Deer & Moose
