Order CARNIVORA

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Characters

1. carnassial teeth (P4/m1) present (Fig. 15.4)
2. mandibular fossa often strongly C-shaped [Fig. 15.5]
3. canines strongly curved, pointed
4. scaphoid and lunar fused [fig 15.7]
5. os baculum usually well-developed [Figs. 9.3, 15.7]

• Learn more about Carnivorans from
• the University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web or
• the University of California Museum of Paleontology

PHYLOGENY (Fig. 5.1)

Feliformia

1. Herpestidae (mongooses, meerkats)
2. Viverridae (civets, linsangs, genets, etc.)
3. Hyaenidae (hyaenas, aardwolf)
4. Felidae (cats)

Caniformia

1. Canidae (wolves, dogs, coyotes, foxes, jackals)
2. Arctoidea
   2. Mustelidae (weasels, otters, ferrets, badgers, skunks, wolverines, etc.)
   3. Procyonidae (raccoons, kinkajous, coatimundis, lesser panda, etc.)
   4. Ursidae (bears, including the giant panda)
   5. Pinnipedia
      5. Phocidae (true seals, earless seals)
      6. Odobenidae (walruses)
      7. Otariidae (sea lions, eared seals, fur seals)
         

Families

Feliformia

1. Herpestidae   mongooses, meerkats, fossa two subfamilies, one of which is endemic to Madagascar (check out  Ranomafana National Park).   Cryptoprocta and Fossa were formerly classified as viverrids, but molecular evidence now indicates a single origin for the Malagasy Carnivora. Suricata suricatta, Gray Meercat, photograph by Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences

2. Viverridae   civets, linsangs, genets, binturongs, etc.

3. Hyaenidae   compare the skulls of Proteles and Crocuta
   Hyaeninae (hyaenas)  Crocuta crocuta, Hyaena hyaena, and Parahyaena brunnea hunt and scavenge. the hyena pages Robin M. Weare lioncrusher's domain female hyenas and male hormones sex and the spotted hyena by Robin Meadows
   Proteles   the aardwolf eats termites information from the LionCrusher's domain Proteles cristatus, Aardwolf, photograph by Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences

4. Felidae (cats) Cat Specialist Group:  IUCN - The World Conservation Union  lions, tigers, clouded leopards,  cheetahs, etc. The Lion Research Center: Craig Parker Texas felids Mountain Lion, Puma concolor Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis Margay, Leopardus wiedii Jaguarundi, Herpailurus yagouaroundi Jaguar, Panthera onca Bobcat, Lynx rufus Lynx rufus - bobcat.  photograph © 2001 by  Dr. Allan H. Chaney, used with permission

Caniformia

1. Canidae   wolves, dogs, coyotes, foxes, jackals Texas canids Coyote, Canis latrans Gray Wolf, Canis lupus Red Wolf, Canis rufus Swift or Kit Fox, Vulpes velox Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes Common Gray Fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus

   Lycaon pictus, African Hunting Dog, Photograph by Dr. Robert Thomas and Margaret Orr: California Academy of Sciences

2. Mustelidae:  weasels, river otters, sea otters, ferrets, badgers, skunks, wolverines, etc.).   Molecular evidence places the skunks in a separate family. Texas mustelids Long-tailed Weasel, Mustela frenata Black-footed Ferret, Mustela nigripes Mink, Mustela vison American Badger, Taxidea taxus Western Spotted Skunk, Spilogale gracilis Eastern Spotted Skunk, Spilogale putorius Hooded Skunk, Mephitis macroura Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis Eastern Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus leuconotus Common Hog-nosed Skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus River Otter, Lutra canadensis

   Gulo gulo, the wolverine, photograph by Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences. American Badger, Taxidea taxus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Image Library; Public Domain Images

3. Procyonidae Texas procyonids raccoons, Procyon lotor coatimundis, Nasua narica  ringtails, Bassariscus astutus kinkajous and olingos Procyon lotor - raccoons.  photograph © 2001 by  Dr. Allan H. Chaney, used with permission

4. Ailuridae   red panda, Knoxville Zoo some consider that Ailurus is a procyonid.  It is not closely related to the giant panda, which is a bear. Ailurus fulgens, Red Panda , photograph by John White, Digital Library Project, University of California, Berkeley

5. Ursidae   bears from Craighead Environmental Research: black bear, brown bear, polar bear, spectacled bear, giant panda, etc. more on polar bears giant panda  from Panda World-pictures and music Texas bears Black Bear, Ursus americanus [Fig. 5.17] Grizzly or Brown Bear, Ursus arctos; last seen in Texas in 1890

   Brown Bear, John Nickles, National Image Library;

6. Otariidae   sea lions, eared seals, fur seals the difference between seals and sea lions

   Sea Lions at Haulout, Tom Early, National Image Library;

7. Odobenidae (walruses) walrus physical characteristics

   Odobenus U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Image Library; Public Domain Images

8. Phocidae (true seals, earless seals) the difference between seals and sea lions harbor seals elephant seals  Elephant Seals at Año Nuevo  what seals can teach doctors and divers what seals can teach doctors and divers diving adaptations Gerald L. Kooyman and Paul J Ponganis adaptations in diving mammals from Clarenville High

   Monachus shauinslandi Mark Rauzon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Image Library; Public Domain Images

    

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