1. CARNIVORA Systematics & Biology
Mammalogy – EEOB 625
23 February 2004

2. Risks &Advantages of Carnivory
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

3. Fig Feldhamer
See Fig Vaughan

4. Adaptations of Carnivores
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

5. Fig. 6.6B, Feldhamer

8. Shape of the Mandibular Fossa
Musteliae: “C”-shaped
Ursidae
flat

9. lion
hyena
dog
Fig. 15.4

10. Fig. 6.2, Feldhamer

11. Fig. 6.2

12. Adaptations of an omnivorous carnivore
Schwartz
(1959)

13. Suborder Feliformia “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?

14. Schwartz & Schwartz (1959)

15. Adaptive radiation in Hyaenidae
Spotted hyaena
Ardwolf

16. Suborder Caniformia “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)

17. Brown
bear
Giant
Panda
Raccoon