Classification of Mammals

Order	Family Name	Common Name/ Examples	No. of Species	Distribution of Order	General Characteristics of Order
Monotremes	Ornithorhynchidae	Platypus	1	Australia	Lay eggs from which youngs are hatched.
Monotremes	Tachyglossidae	Echidna	2	Australia	Lay eggs from which youngs are hatched.
Marsupialia	Didelphidae	Opossums	65	Australia, S and C America	Premature birth of young and continued development outside the womb.
	Thylacinidae	Tasmanian wolf	1
	Dasyuridae	Native cats, marsupial mice	48
	Myrmecobiidae	Numbat	1
	Notoryctidae	Marsupial moles	2
	Peramelidae	Bandicoots	22
	Thylacomyidae	Burrowing bandicoots	20
	Caenolestidae	rat opossums	7
	Phalangeridae	Phalangers, cuscuses	15
	Burramyidae	pigmy possums	6
	Petauridae	Gliding phalangers	25
	Macropodidae	Kangaroos, wallabies	47
	Phascolarctidae	Koala	1
	Vombatidae	Wombat	4
	Tarsipedidae	Honey possum	1
Insectivora	Erinaceidae	Hedgehogs, gymnures	14	Europe, N and S America, Asia, Australia	Active mainly at night, do not need to rely on vision for orientation.
	Talpidae	Moles	22
	Tenrecidae	Tenrecs	20
	Potamogalidae	Otter shrews	3
	Chrysochloridae	Golden moles	11
	Solenodontidae	Solenodon, almiqui	2
	Soricidae	Shrews	291
	Macroscelididae	Elephant shrews	28
	Tupaiidae	Tree shrews	15
Chiroptera	Pteropodidae	Old World fruit bats, flying foxes	154	Europe, N and S America, Asia, Africa, Australia	Insectivorous, nocturnal, migrate annually to and from summer roosts and winter migration sites, use echolocation for orientation, order defined by true flight.
	Rhinopomatidae	Mouse-tailed bats	3
	Emballonuridae	Sheath-tailed or sac-winged bats	50
	Nycteridae	Slit-faced or hollow-faced bats	13
	Megadermatidae	False vampires	5
	Hipposideridae	Old World leaf-nosed bats	60
	Rhinolophidae	Horseshoe bats	70
	Noctilionidae	Bulldog bats	2
	Mormoopidae	Insectivorous bats	9
	Phyllostomatidae	American leaf-nosed bats	120
	Desmodontidae	Vampire bats	3
	Natalidae	Funnel-eared bats	4
	Furipteridae	Smoky bats	2
	Thyropteridae	Disk-winged bats	2
	Myzopodidae	Old World sucker-footed bats	1
	Vespertilionidae	Common bats	290
	Mystacinidae	New Zealand short-tailed bats	1
	Molossidae	Free-tailed bats	90
Rodentia	Aplodontidae	Mountain Beaver	1	Europe, Asia, N and S America, Africa, Australia	One pair of upper and lower incisors which grow throughout life, broadly herbivorous, gnawing mechanism, clawed digits.
	Sciuridae	Squirrels, chipmunks, marmots	250
	Cricetidae	Field mice, voles, lemmings, muskrats	560
	Muridae	Old World rats and mice	450
	Heteromyidae	mice, pocket mice, kangaroo rats	75
	Geomyidae	Pocket gophers	40
	Zapodidae	Jumping and birch mice	10
	Dipodidae	Jerboas	25
	Spalacidae	Mole rats	3
	Rhizomyidae	Bamboo rats	18
	Octodontidae	Octodonts, degus	7
	Echimyidae	Spiny rats, rock rats	40
	Ctenomyidae	Tuco-tucos	26
	Abrocomidae	Abrocomes or chinchilla rats	2
	Chinchillidae	Chichillas, viscachas	6
	Capromyidae	Hutias, coupus	10
	Dasyproctidae	Pacas, agoutis	13
	Dinomyidae	Pacarana	1
	Caviidae	Cavies, guinea pigs	12
	Hydrochoeridae	Capybaras	2
	Erethizontidae	New World porcupines	8
	Petromuridae	Rock or dassie rat	1
	Thryonomyidae	Cane rats	2
	Bathyergidae	African mole rats	9
	Hystricidie	Old World porcupines	15
	Castoridae	Beavers	2
	Anomaluridae	Scaly-tailed squirrels	7
	Ctenodactylidae	Gundis	8
	Pedetidae	Cane jumping hare	1
	Gliridae	Dormice	20
	Seleveniidae	Jumping dormouse	1
Edentata	Myrmecophagidae	Anteaters	3	S and N America	Reduced dentition, long sticky tongue, powerful clawed forefeet.
	Bradypodidae	Tree sloths	5
	Dasypodidae	Armadillos	20
Lagomorpha	Ochotonidae	Pikas	14	Europe, Asia, N and S America, Africa, Australia	Herbivorous, well-developed incisors which grow continuously from roots, elongation of the limbs distally.
Lagomorpha	Leporidae	Hares, rabbits	46	Europe, Asia, N and S America, Africa, Australia
Carnivora	Canidae	Dogs, foxes, wolves, jackals	35	Europe, Asia, N and S America, Africa, Australia	High level of intelligence, highly developed sense of smell, varied dentition, well developed carnassials.
	Ursidae	Bears, giant panda	7
	Otariidae	Eared seals, walrus	15
	Procyonidae	Racoons, lesser panda	15
	Mustelidae	Weasels, otters, skunks, badgers, minks	65
	Phocidae	Earless seals	20
	Felidae	Cats	35
	Viverridae	Civets, mongooses	70
	Hyaenidae	Hyenas	4
Cetacea	Balaenidae	Right whales	3	Europe, Asia, N and S America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica	Breathe through blowholes, tapered body, develop young internally and give birth at sea, long breeding period, hearing is major sense, migrate seasonally.
	Eschrichtiidae	Grey whale	1
	Balaenopteridae	Rorquals, humpbacks	8
	Platanistidae	River dolphins	4
	Delphinidae	Dolphins, killer whales	30
	Phocoenidae	Porpoises	6
	Monodontidae	Beluga, narwhal	2
	Physeteridae	Sperm whales	3
	Hyperoodontidae	Beaked whales	15
	Stenidae	Long-snouted dolphins	4
Proboscidae	Elephantidae	African and Asian elephant	3	Asia, Africa	Bulky bodies and elongated snout, each toe has heavy hoof nail, no canine teeth, herbivorous.
Sirenia	Dugongidae	Dugong	1	Australia, S America, Africa	Herbivorous, totally aquatic, torpedo-shaped bodies, tough almost hairless skin, body contains much fat
Sirenia	Trichechidae	Manatees	3	Australia, S America, Africa
Perissodactyla	Equidae	horses, asses, donkeys, zebras	7	Asia, Africa, Europe	Herbivorous, high-crowned grinding teeth.
	Tapiridae	Tapirs	4
	Rhinocerotidae	Rhinoceroses	5
Artiodactyla	Tragulidae	Chevrotains	4	Asia, Africa, C and S America	Ruminants, herbivorous, cloven-hoofed, moderately large brain, migrate seasonally.
	Antilocapridae	Pronghorn	1
	Giraffidae	Giraffe, okapi	2
	Cervidae	Deer	35
	Bovidae	Cattle, goats, sheep, antelopes, gazelles	110
	Camelidae	Camels, llamas	4
	Suidae	Pigs	8
	Tayassuidae	Peccaries	3
	Hippopotamidae	Hippopotamuses	2
Primates	Lemuridae	Lemurs	14	Asia, Africa, S America (humans distributed worldwide)	Omnivorous, multi-purpose dentition, large brain, body position upright, five-digit hands and feet, stereoscopic vision.
	Cheirogaleidae	Dwarf lemurs, mouse lemurs	4
	Indriidae	Indrii, sifaka, avali	4
	Daubentoniidae	Aye aye (lemur)	1
	Lepilmuridae	Sportive lemurs	2
	Galagidae	Galagos	7
	Lorisidae	Lorises, pottos, bushbabies	12
	Tupaiidae	Tree shrews	17
	Tarsiidae	Tarsiers	3
	Callitrichidae	Tamarins, marmosets	15
	Cebidae	New World monkeys	30
	Cercopithecidae	Old World monkeys	72
	Hylobatidae	Gibbons, siamangs	7
	Pongidae	Great apes: gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan	10
	Hominids	Humans	1

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Last updated: 2005-01-17