ZOOLOGY STUDY GUIDE - Ye. O. Nevedomska - 2013

LECTURE 18. CLASS MAMMALIA, or MAMMALS (Mammalia)

Did you know that

- From the perspective of physics, the presence of claws, hooves, fur, and bristles in mammals can be easily explained. A crucial condition for locomotion is reliable traction between the moving body and the supporting surface. This is achieved by sharp structures on the limbs, such as claws, sharp edges of hooves, etc. High friction is also necessary for prehensile Organs, such as the forelimbs, tail, and trunk of certain animals. Fur and bristles are angled relative to the body surface. Consequently, friction is minimal when moving in one direction and high when moving in the opposite direction.

- A mole has short, powerful paws, while a deer has long legs. In the mammalian Skeleton, all bones capable of free movement act as levers. The lever mechanisms of the skeleton are designed to maximize speed. The ratio of the lever arm lengths in the skeleton depends on the function of the organ. For instance, a deer's long legs determine its capacity for fast running. Conversely, a mole's short paws are designed to generate great force at low speed.

- In India, cows are considered sacred animals, and the elephant-headed god Ganesha and the monkey-like Hanuman are highly revered. The city of Mathura on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River is steeped in legend. It is believed that Krishna, an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, the supreme god of the Hindu pantheon, was born here. The residents of Mathura are very proud of this. Vaishnavas consider all animals living in Mathura sacred, even mice and rats. Europeans call this metropolis a "zoo-city" or simply a menagerie. All streets and squares are filled with "sacred" bulls, cows, and elephants. Monkeys rule the rooftops, while parrots and peacocks soar through the air. All this wildlife, as if in the jungle, takes advantage of its privileged status, running the city and managing both human treasures and the people themselves. Due to the animals' impunity, residents are forced to carry food in closed baskets and consume it exclusively indoors. If windows and doors are left open, monkeys casually walk in to "visit" the residents of Mathura. In search of something tasty, they can turn the whole house upside down right in front of the owner. According to the rules, the homeowner must patiently wait until the long-tailed intruders get tired of playing and leave on their own. Street vendors have it worst of all. They must display their goods with great caution, keeping a close eye to ensure some furry "connoisseur" doesn't snatch them. Monkey attacks on food stalls are a common occurrence. The primates openly demand tribute from every cart passing through the city. These animals are so accustomed to humans that even foreigners do not scare them; they expect the usual handout. If an unfortunate tourist resists, the monkeys might scatter their luggage and even pull their Hair. Interestingly, not a single resident of Mathura will help a foreigner or try to chase the monkeys away. Elephants, on the other hand, behave with immense dignity. They never take anything themselves, but stand patiently near food stalls, waiting to be fed.

- The domestic cat is a mysterious creature. It resembles wild predators, yet is small and tame. It behaves unusually—staying awake and roaming at night, its eyes glowing in the dark, "singing" on moonlit nights as if talking to the moon... All of this was strange, unusual, and enigmatic. Perhaps that is why the Egyptians depicted Bastet, the goddess of moonlight, as a woman with a cat's HEAD. After all, the moon, its glow, and its appearance and disappearance in the night sky were all mysterious and eerie. Egyptians kept cats in their temples, fed them, closely observed their behavior, and then tried to interpret this behavior as a prophecy of human destiny. A deceased cat was mummified just like a deceased pharaoh and buried in the pharaohs' tombs.

- Cat allergies are caused by a protein found in feline Skin and saliva, which remains on the fur when the animal grooms itself. If inhaled by an asthmatic, this protein can trigger an allergic reaction within minutes. Scientists at Allerca, a San Diego-based company, analyzed The genes of British and American Shorthair cats to identify which ones correspond to Proteins that do not cause a reaction in humans. By selectively breeding cats over several generations, they produced more than 20 hypoallergenic kittens. For the first time, people with allergies will be able to own a cat without suffering. However, such a kitten costs 14,000 dollars.

From the World of Science

- Scientists in America studied what affects cows positively and negatively—in other words, what makes them grow better and produce more milk. They tried playing Different types of music to them. The music had an effect: milk yields decreased noticeably with rock music, but increased by almost 10% with classical music by the composer Bach. But why? When the music is slow and smooth, the cow's Muscles relax, allowing it to release more milk. Conversely, when the music is fast and has an accelerated rhythm, the muscles contract, making milking more difficult.

Evolutionary Process

- The ancestors of mammals were undoubtedly ancient Paleozoic reptiles? that had not yet lost certain amphibian structural features: Skin glands and the arrangement of limb joints (between the Tibia and tarsus, and between the forearm and carpus). The subclass of beast-like reptiles (Theromorpha) is considered to be this ancestral group. Particularly close to mammals is one of the orders of this subclass—the order of beast-toothed reptiles (Theriodontia), whose representatives had Teeth differentiated into the same categories as in mammals, namely incisors, canines, and molars, which were situated in alveoli.

Interesting Facts About THE ORIGIN OF Mammal Names

- Kangaroo. When the British first sailed to Australia, they saw unfamiliar and very strange animals. They were large, clumsy, with short forelegs and excessively long hind legs. However, the most strange-

est feature was the pouch on their belly, from which the curious little eyes of a baby peeked out. Newborn joeys are extremely weak and fragile; they do not even have the strength to suckle. Therefore, the mother carries them in her pouch for half a year until they gain strength. Utterly astonished, the British asked the locals what these strange animals were called. The aborigines replied, "Kangaroo," meaning "I don't understand." The British assumed this was the name of the animal itself. The name stuck.

- Hedgehog (yizhák) comes from the Old Slavic word "yezhe"—"thorn". What creature or thing do you know whose name begins with "yezhe"? "Ezhevika" in Russian, "ozhyna" in Ukrainian (blackberry). Blackberries grow in ravines, along forest roads and paths, climbing or creeping along the ground. Their stems are long, flexible, and covered with thick thorns, and the undersides of the leaves are also thorny. Now the name of the plant makes sense.

- Why is a cow called "korova"? Is it hard to answer? Then try naming this animal as if it didn't have a name yet. (Horned... Horny...) Correct! That is exactly what the Greeks called it—"horned". In their language, it was "karaos", as the dictionary says. Later, the Slavs began to call it "krava", "krova", or "kruva", and we ended up with "korova".

- Which is correct—"sobaka" or "pes"? Both words are correct, but they are not identical: they have different origins and are not always used in the same way. Let's start with their origins. Our ancestors during the times of Kyivan Rus did not yet know the word "sobaka". They said "pes". Where did the word "pes" come from? It might have originated from "pestryi" or "pistryavyi", meaning "speckled" or "spotted". Perhaps the earliest dogs had spotted fur, and that is why they were named so? The word "pes" could also have been derived from the Ancient Indian word "pasu" ("livestock") or the Latin "pecus" ("livestock"). This is highly plausible, as dogs have been guardians of herds and helpers of shepherds since ancient times. What about the word "sobaka"? This word appeared later. It came to us from the East, where Persians have the word "sabah". This word took ROOT only in Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian. In other Slavic languages further west, this word is rarely used, and when it is, it carries a figurative, derogatory meaning—"a bad, wicked, or depraved person". The fact that the borrowed word "sobaka" has firmly integrated into our language is evidenced by numerous proverbs and sayings. There are many of them because people have observed dogs for ages and know them well. There are countless touching Examples of friendship between humans and dogs. This is also evidenced by monuments erected to dogs in various countries and at different times. In Japan alone, there are several. The most famous among them is the monument to a dog named Hachiko. After the death of his owner, he continued to go to the station to meet him for nine more years, eventually dying there. Newspaper reports about Hachiko's loyalty and devotion to his owner deeply moved the Japanese. They raised money and erected a monument to Hachiko on the outskirts of Tokyo. Friendship and loyalty have always been highly valued by people.

- The name of the cat comes from the Latin word "cattus", meaning "wild cat". By the way, among all European peoples, the name of the cat originates from this word.

- Orangutan. It turns out that its name is a complete misunderstanding. Here is how it happened. The first Europeans who sailed to the island of Borneo saw large, almost human-like apes covered in long, coarse, reddish fur. From the local inhabitants, they heard the word "orangutan" and assumed that was the name of these apes. In reality, the coastal residents used this term to describe the people who lived deep inside the island's forests. The islanders spoke Malay, which the first Europeans did not understand. Consequently, they made another mistake. In the Malay language, there is the word "orang hutan"—"a person living in the wild forest"—and "orang utang" (with a "g" at the end), which means "debtor", a person who borrowed something and must return it. It was this very word—with the "g" at the end—that was used to name the apes of Borneo. It is a pity the apes did not eat this sign too—the one with their name. You might ask: What sign? Why eat it? As it turns out, at the London Zoo, a sign was attached to the orangutan's cage: "Visitors are requested not to feed the animals." This was to prevent children from giving candies to the apes. But the orangutan took the sign down and ate it!

Practical Advice

- If a bat settles nearby, it will not cause any harm to your home. Bat droppings consist entirely of insect remains and make an ideal fertilizer for your garden or flowerbed. The black pieces of droppings are not a source of disease.

- Sometimes in summer, bats fly into open apartment windows while chasing insects. Do not panic; a bat cannot harm you. You should not try to chase the bat out, as this might injure the animal. Simply open the window wide so it can fly back out on its own.