mammal
Nurses its young
A mammal is a warm-blooded vertebrate animal distinguished by having hair or fur, giving birth to live young (with few exceptions), and nursing offspring with milk produced by mammary glands—the feature from which the class gets its name.
Mammals range from tiny shrews to blue whales and include humans.
The term appears frequently in scientific and educational contexts: Dolphins are mammals, not fish.
The exhibit featured mammals native to North America.
Nourished before birth internally
- marsupialPouch-bearing mammal
- monotremeEgg-laying mammal
- cetaceanAquatic mammal order
- primateHigher mammal order member
rodent · ungulate · carnivore · pangolin · armadillo · sloth · anteater · mustelid
Internally temperature-regulated
- endothermicAbsorbing thermal energy
- homeostasisBiological internal stability maintenance
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
torpor · insulation · metabolism · blubber · fur · shivering · panting · sweating
Domesticated barking mammal
- catSmall furry housepet
- horseDomesticated riding animal
- cattleDomesticated bovines kept commercially
- sheepWoolly farm animal
goat · pig · rabbit · guinea-pig · hamster · ferret · donkey · camel
Spinal column animal
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
- endoskeletonBody's inner framework
- quadrupedFour-limbed walker
- bipedTwo-footed creature
jaw · diaphragm · lungs · heart · dentition · skeleton · limbs · digits
Mammary gland secretion
- breastfeedingLactation-based infant nourishment
- colostrumInitial postpartum milk
- sucklingUnweaned infant mammal
- weaningGradual dietary independence
milk · maternal · nurturing · bonding · motherhood · teat · nipple · nursing
Carrying offspring in womb
- parturitionAct of giving birth
- laborStrenuous effort; also childbirth
- deliveryConveyance of goods
- litterScattered waste or debris
neonate · placenta · amniotic · umbilical · calving · farrowing · whelping · foaling
Mental knowledge acquisition
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- problem-solvingAddressing challenges methodically
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
reasoning · perception · neocortex · sentience · communication · play · curiosity · adaptation
placental
Nourished before birth internally
primate · rodent · ungulate · carnivore · pangolin · armadillo · sloth · anteater · mustelid · hyrax
warm-blooded
Internally temperature-regulated
- endothermicAbsorbing thermal energy
- homeostasisBiological internal stability maintenance
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
hibernation · torpor · insulation · metabolism · blubber · fur · shivering · panting · sweating · thermal
dog
Domesticated barking mammal
sheep · goat · pig · rabbit · guinea-pig · hamster · ferret · donkey · camel · llama
vertebrate
Spinal column animal
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
- endoskeletonBody's inner framework
- quadrupedFour-limbed walker
biped · jaw · diaphragm · lungs · heart · dentition · skeleton · limbs · digits · tail
lactation
Mammary gland secretion
- breastfeedingLactation-based infant nourishment
- colostrumInitial postpartum milk
- sucklingUnweaned infant mammal
weaning · milk · maternal · nurturing · bonding · motherhood · teat · nipple · nursing
gestation
Carrying offspring in womb
- parturitionAct of giving birth
- laborStrenuous effort; also childbirth
- deliveryConveyance of goods
litter · neonate · placenta · amniotic · umbilical · calving · farrowing · whelping · foaling · natal
cognition
Mental knowledge acquisition
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- problem-solvingAddressing challenges methodically
- memoryMind's retention capacity
consciousness · reasoning · perception · neocortex · sentience · communication · play · curiosity · adaptation · self-awareness
pelage
Mammal's fur collectively
mane · pelt · fleece · wool · molting · shedding · grooming · insulation · camouflage · tactile
herd
Grazing animals together
pride · colony · dominance · hierarchy · bonding · cooperation · kinship · altruism · grooming · family
- mamma's boyOverly dependent son
- mamma miaItalian expression of surprise
- marine mammalsWarm-blooded ocean animals
- native mammalsAnimals indigenous to region
- small mammalsCompact fur-bearing animals
- large mammals