Orders of placental mammals

Question

Specify main orders of the placental mammals? List some of the representative species and distinguishing features of each of those orders?

Answer 1

Orders in which placental mammals are classified includes following:

Artiodactyls, mammals with even number of the fingers in claws or paws like, sheep, cows, giraffes. Carnivorous, predators are having canine teeth such as lions, dogs, tigers. Cetaceans, aquatic animals without having posterior limbs and similar to fishes, e.g. dolphins and whales. Edentates, creatures with rare or are devoid of teethes, like armadillos, sloths, anteaters. Lagomorphs, the small-sized mammals are having three pairs of continuously growing incisive teeth which are specialized in gnawing, e.g. rabbits and hares.

Perissodactyls, also called as ungulates, big-sized animals having an odd number of fingers within each paw, like rhinos and horses. Primates, characterized with big cranium and well-developed brain, e.g. humans and apes. Proboscideans, big-sized animals whose nose and superior lip form trunk, like elephants. Chiropterans, the flying nocturnal mammals like bats. Rodents, the animals having two pairs of continuously growing incisive teeth, like mice, rats, castors, squirrels. Sirenians, the aquatic mammals of the freshwater, deprived of posterior limbs, like manatees and dugongs.