The Class Mammalia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Proboscidea

This order is divided into two genera. Elephas contains the smaller Asian elephant. Loxodonta is the genus of the African elephant, the world's largest land animal.

Answer: Xenarthra

These animals are known as edentates. Their teeth are very primitive. Edentates are found only in South and Central America with the exception of Dasypus novemcinctus, whose range includes the southern USA.

Answer: Perissodactyla

Perissodactyla is composed of the "odd-toed" ungulates. The order also contains horses and asses. Horses, asses, and zebras are all built for speed, whereas tapirs and rhinos have stocky builds. Zebras are native to Africa. Tapirs are native to South America and Asia.

Answer: Pholidota

Pangolins are native to Africa and Asia. They resemble anteaters with heavy scales. When threatened, the pangolin rolls into a ball and its armored plates protect it.

Answer: Hyracoidea

Hyraxes are found in Africa and on the Arabian peninsula. Hyraxes are believed to be very closely related to elephants. Many believe that hyraxes resemble the elephant primogenitor. Hyraxes, elephants, and sirens are often considered ungulate-like and it is likely they descend from a common ancestor.

Answer: Sirenia

The sirens share a common ancestor with the ungulates (Artiodactyla & Perissodactyla). However, they are adapted for an entirely aquatic lifestyle. Like the cetaceans, they live their entire lives in water. Typically they live in fairly shallow bodies of water, where there is plenty of vegetation.

Answer: Insectivora

In the 1990s, scientists M.C.McKenna and Susan K. Bell rearranged the taxonomy ranking of species formerly classed as Insectivora. Hedgehogs were classed into a separate order called Erinacemorpha, while shrews and moles now belong in the Order Soricomorpha. The reclassifications were made according to common ancestry and anatomical features of the animals.

Answer: Artiodactyla

Artiodactyla consists of the "even-toed" ungulates. This order includes giraffes, pigs, antelope, sheep, goats, cattle, deer, and hippos. This order is found naturally on all continents except Australia and Antarctica (they have been introduced to Australia). Most live in grassland areas.

Many are ruminants, which means they have multi-chambered stomachs that allow them to eat large amounts of plant matter that is not very nutritious.

Answer: Monotremata

Monotremes are primitive mammals that lay eggs. Monotremes include the platypus and the echidna. They are believed to be an intermediate form between higher mammals and our reptilian ancestors. Monotremes are native to Australia and New Guinea.

Answer: Rodentia

Rodentia is the largest mammalian order. The rodents are characterized by an ever-growing set of incisors that are used for gnawing. The largest rodent is the capybara. Other rodents include porcupines, mole rats, springhares, mice, chipmunks, and agoutis.