Mammals, TOX-WHY
Mammals are distinguished by their ability to produce milk. The class Mammalia boasts tremendous diversity in form and habit, and different types of mammals can be wildly different from one another in physical appearance. Living kinds of mammals range in size from a bat weighing less than a gram to the largest animal that has ever lived, the blue whale, which reaches a length or more than 30 metres (100 feet) and a weight of 180 metric tons (nearly 200 short [U.S.] tons).
Mammals Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Toxodon, extinct genus of mammals of the late Pliocene and the Pleistocene Epoch (about 3.6 million to 11,700 years......
toy dog, Any of several breeds of dogs that were bred to be small, portable, good-natured companions. Toy dogs......
tree shrew, (order Scandentia), any of 17 Southeast Asian species of small mammals resembling squirrels and “true”......
Triconodon, genus of extinct mammals found in European deposits of the late Jurassic Period (about 161 million–146......
tuco-tuco, (genus Ctenomys), South American burrowing rodents similar to the North American pocket gopher in both......
Turkish Angora cat, Breed of longhaired domestic cat that probably arose from a domesticated cat of Tatars who......
Turkish Van cat, breed of semilonghaired domestic cat distinguished mainly by its unusual colour pattern: white,......
tylopod, any of the pad-footed, even-toed, hoofed mammals of the suborder Tylopoda (order Artiodactyla). This group......
uakari, (genus Cacajao), any of several types of short-tailed South American monkeys with shaggy fur, humanlike......
Uintatherium, extinct genus of large, hoofed mammals found as fossils in North America and Asia in terrestrial......
ungulate, any hoofed mammal. Although the term may be used to refer to any member of the grandorder Ungulata, which......
urial, (Ovis orientalis), medium-size, rather stout-bodied wild sheep, distributed from northwest India and Ladakh......
vampire bat, (family Desmodontidae), any of three species of blood-eating bats, native to the New World tropics......
vaquita, (Phocoena sinus), species of nonmigratory marine mammal known for being the smallest member of the porpoise......
vervet, (genus Chlorocebus), any of six known species of widely distributed semiarboreal African monkeys. Vervet......
vesper bat, (family Vespertilionidae), large family of bats numbering more than 400 species. They are found worldwide......
vicuña, (Vicugna vicugna), smallest member of the camel family, Camelidae (order Artiodactyla). The vicuña is closely......
While Vikings don’t exactly have a reputation for being cuddly, their travel companions do. Hoping to shed some......
Virginia opossum, (Didelphis virginiana), the only marsupial (family Didelphidae, subfamily Didelphinae) found......
viscacha, any of four species of slender yet fairly large South American rodents similar to chinchillas. They have......
viverrid, (family Viverridae), any of 35 species of small Old World mammals including civets, genets, and linsangs.......
Vizsla, breed of sporting dog whose ancestors were probably brought to Hungary by the Magyars more than a thousand......
vole, any of numerous species of small-bodied mouselike rodents of the Northern Hemisphere that are classified,......
Wagyu, slow-growing Japanese cattle breed prized for its tender, flavorful, and highly marbled meat. Evidence suggests......
wallaby, any of several middle-sized marsupial mammals belonging to the kangaroo family, Macropodidae (see kangaroo).......
wallaroo, either of two species of kangaroo-like mammals native to Australia and belonging to the genus Macropus.......
walrus, (Odobenus rosmarus), huge, seal-like mammal found in Arctic seas. There are two subspecies: the Atlantic......
warthog, (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), member of the pig family, Suidae (order Artiodactyla), found in open and lightly......
The city of Chicago is known for many things: the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, 1930s gangster Al Capone, the Democratic......
water buffalo, (Bubalus bubalis), either of two forms, wild and domestic, of Asian mammal similar to the ox. There......
water opossum, (Chironectes minimus), a semiaquatic, web-footed marsupial (family Didelphidae, subfamily Didelphinae)......
water rat, any of 18 species of amphibious carnivorous rodents. They exhibit many adaptations associated with hunting......
water shrew, any of 12 species of amphibious shrews that have a broad, fleshy muzzle, large chest, and long hind......
waterbuck, antelope species of the genus Kobus...
weasel, any of various small carnivores with very elongated slender bodies. Most live in the Northern Hemisphere......
Weddell seal, (Leptonychotes weddellii), nonmigratory earless seal (family Phocidae) found around the South Pole,......
Weimaraner, sporting dog breed developed in the early 19th century by German nobles of the court of Weimar. First......
Welsh Corgi, either of two breeds (Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Cardigan Welsh Corgi) of affectionate dogs developed......
Welsh pony, breed of small horse popular as a child’s or an adult’s mount. A hardy breed that developed in the......
Welsh terrier, breed of terrier native to Wales, where it has been used as a hunter of foxes, otters, and badgers.......
West Highland white terrier, a short-legged dog standing 10 to 11 inches (25 to 28 cm) tall and weighing 13 to......
whale, any of the larger species of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Cetacea. The term whale can be used......
Baby koalas are called joeys. The term joey is widely used for the young of all marsupials such as kangaroos, opossums,......
Elephants use their trunks as multifunctional appendages for a variety of tasks essential to their survival and......
Wolves hold a unique place in nature and in the human psyche. The precursor to “man’s best friend” but also evil......
Cheetahs are carnivores, which means that their diet consists primarily of meat. They hunt a variety of animals,......
Giraffes, as browsers, primarily feed on new, tender shoots and leaves of trees, with a particular fondness for......
Kangaroos are herbivores, which means they eat only plant-based foods. Their diet mainly includes grass and other......
Rabbits are herbivores and primarily consume a diet rich in plant material, such as grasses and forbs (herbs other......
Squirrels’ diets vary based on their species and habitat. The most commonly recognized squirrel, the bushy-tailed......
Whales have a diverse diet that varies significantly between species, primarily depending on whether they are baleen......
A variety of theories have been proposed for the specific function of the narwhal’s long, straight tusk, but first......
There are several dogs that are closely associated with dingoes, including the rare Carolina Dog and the wild New......
All dogs are close relatives of wolves—after all, domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) descend from gray wolves......
An American Bully is a type of dog created to incorporate the physical traits of the American Pit Bull Terrier......
A mature female elephant is called a cow. Cows are fundamental to elephant herds. As seen in most mammals, the......
In English, a female yak is called a cow. This designation aligns with the common practice of using cow for mature......
A group of cows is called a herd. This is the standard term used universally in both common speech and scientific......
The closest living relatives of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) are the echidnas (family Tachyglossidae),......
Unsettling photographs of wild cottontail rabbits near Fort Collins, Colorado, sporting hornlike or tentacle-like......
The most obvious difference between wolves and coyotes is in their size and build. Most wolves, in particular the......
The largest animal on Earth is the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). It is also the largest animal to have ever......
The sperm whale is the loudest animal on Earth. These majestic creatures can produce sounds that reach an astonishing......
Determining the rarest dog breed in the world is a challenging task because of the difficulty of obtaining and......
The Border Collie is widely recognized as the smartest dog breed because of its uncanny ability to learn tasks......
Who’s a tall boy? The Irish Wolfhound is generally recognized as the tallest dog breed. While the tallest individual......
Cheetahs and leopards are both large cats with dark spots and yellowish coats, but they have distinctly different......
You may have been taught that there are only two species of elephants: the African elephant and the Asian elephant.......
It’s easy to understand why people confuse bison and buffalo. Both are large, horned, oxlike animals of the Bovidae......
Llamas and alpacas have been used by humans for transportation and fleece production for a few thousand years.......
Monkeys and apes are both primates, which means they’re both part of the human family tree. As distinguished relatives,......
If you’ve ever watched Looney Tunes, you may have noticed that the words bunny (which typically refers to young......
While river otters and sea otters might appear similar at first glance, the two exhibit many striking differences......
Are seals and sea lions the same animal? Technically, they are in the same taxonomical suborder of pinnipeds (Pinnipedia),......
Who’s America’s top dog? According to the American Kennel Club, the answer is the French Bulldog. Since 2022 the......
The Siberian tiger is bigger than the Bengal tiger. Siberian tigers can reach lengths of up to 3.7 meters (12.1......
The sperm whale, which preys on the colossal squid, is generally bigger than the colossal squid. A male sperm whale......
whippet, hound breed developed in mid-19th-century England to chase rabbits for sport in an arena. The breed was......
white tiger, colour variant of the Bengal tiger (Pantheria tigris tigris), the Siberian tiger (P. tigris altaica),......
white-tailed deer, (Odocoileus virginianus), common American deer of the family Cervidae (order Artiodactyla) that......
white-toothed shrew, (genus Crocidura), any of 164 species of mouse-sized African and Eurasian insectivores making......
Amazon river dolphins, also known as botos, are often pink due to a combination of factors, including their diet,......
Black cats are considered unlucky in some cultures because of superstitious beliefs that have been passed down......
Bloodhounds are often recruited for police work because of their exceptionally keen sense of smell. The dogs possess......
The name Boxer is derived from the dog’s unique behavior during play and combat, which is reminiscent of a human......
Dalmatians are associated with firefighters because their temperament made them friendly companions for the horses......
Dogs are loyal due to their evolutionary history, domestication process, and the strong bonds they form with humans.......
An elephant’s large ears serve several purposes. Thermoregulation—an organism’s maintenance of its own body temperature......
German Shepherds are widely favored for police work because of their intellect, willingness to work, and unique......
Hippos are dangerous primarily because of their territorial nature especially when it comes to their aquatic habitats.......
Kangaroos are found only in Australia because their marsupial ancestors migrated to the continent before it became......
Mice are used in medical research primarily because their genetic makeup bears a strong resemblance to that of......
Most calico cats are female because the genes that determine their distinctive patches of black and orange fur......
The gene that determines whether a cat will have an orange coat of fur is linked to the X chromosome, one of the......
Orcas are called killer whales because of their reputation as powerful predators in the marine world. The name......
Polar bear fur is actually colorless but appears white because of the way it interacts with light. Each hair shaft......
“Sloth” is considered one of the seven deadly sins because, according to Catholic tradition, it hinders spiritual......
Although cuteness can be a matter of personal preference, people tend to find young mammals cute and adorable,......
All apes, except for orangutans, live in groups. This arrangement gives them advantages when it comes to raising......
Bats sleep upside down because their anatomy and physiology are adapted for this position. Their legs are slender......