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Mammalogy
Modern Mammal Characteristics
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| What Lead To The Rapid Diversification and Expansion of Mammals in the Cenozoic Era? | Extinction of dinosaurs; Break-up of Pangea |
| Most Modern Orders Have Been Around Since... | Eocene Epoch |
| Most Modern Families Have Been Around Since... | Miocene Epoch |
| Skeletal Characteristics | Enlarged Temporal Opening; Maxillary and palatine bones extended laterally; Two occipital condyles; Limbs beneath body; lost cervical and lumbar ribs; lost thoracic ribs, also smaller; reduced carpal and tarsal bones; three ossicles in middle ear |
| Dentary Characteristics | Enlarged dentary bone; heterodont teeth; dentary-squamosal articulation |
| Soft Tissue Characteristics | Fur; Four chamber heart with left aortic arch; Muscular diaphragm; Mammary glands; Enucleated red blood cells; Corpus callosum (some); Placenta (some); Homeothermy |