CARNIVORASystematics & Biology

Mammalogy – EEOB 625

23 February 2004

• Few orders have been successful, n = ?

• Adaptations: dental = canines & carnassials

• digestive & locomotory adaptations

• Primitive Order Creodonta

primitive carnassials: (M2/ M3)

• Cimolestes: weasel-like member of the ancestral family Miacidae

Risks &Advantages of Carnivory

Fig. 15.1 FeldhamerSee Fig. 12-1 Vaughan

• Dental ‑ Carnassial Teeth: last upper premolar & first lower molar (P4/ M1)

• Carnassial function - shearing action

• Digestion: Simple with rapid passage • Locomotion: Plantigrade to Digitigrade

• What is the most highly derived family?

• Function & control of retractile claws

Adaptations of Carnivores

Fig. 6.6B, Feldhamer

Shape of the Mandibular Fossa

Musteliae: “C”-shaped

Ursidae

flat

lion

hyena

dog

Fig. 15.4

Fig. 6.2, Feldhamer

Fig. 6.2

Schwartz

(1959)

Adaptations of an omnivorous carnivore

• “Cat‑like” taxa in four families

• Felidae: most highly derived, speciose (36 species, Herpestidae with 37 species), and nearly Worldwide in distribution

• Herpestidae & Viverridae

• Hyaenidae: Highest in adaptive radiation?

• Ardwolves: transitional to true myrmecophagy?

Suborder Feliformia

Schwartz & Schwartz (1959)

Spotted hyaena

Adaptive radiation in Hyaenidae

Ardwolf

• “dog‑like”families &marine carnivores

• Procyonidae: the New World ominvores

• Giant Panda ‑ a member of Ursidae?

‑ anatomy of the manus and skull

‑ DNA hybridization & other techniques

• The ursid phylogenetic tree • Mustelidae: Origin & diversity (65species)

Suborder Caniformia

Brown bear

Giant Panda

Raccoon