Here is a list of thirty-four types of mammals that are found in India.
Mammal: Type # 1. Ornithorhynchus (Duck-billed Platypus):
It lays eggs in the nests. The beak or bill is broad and flat just like a duck, hence named as duck-billed platypus. Pinnae are absent. Both the webbed feet and flattened tail help in swimming. Mammary glands are present, but nipples or teats are absent.
Male can be distinguished from the female as the male has a poisonous spur on each hind limb. These spurs mark sexual dimorphism. Platypus has some characters common with the reptiles; egg laying habit, reptilian type of excretory system, some endoskeleton features, etc. It is a “connecting link” between reptiles and mammals. It is found in Australia, including Tasmania.
Mammal: Type # 2. Echidna or Tachyglossus (Spiny Anteater):
The body is covered with strong pointed spines (modified hairs). Teats are absent in adult. Ear pinnae and tail are absent. Feet are without webs. Male Echidna also has a hollow tarsal (horny) spur on each hind leg connected to a poison gland in the thigh.
The teats are absent. Female Echidna lays only one egg. Male Echidna also has mammary glands secreting milk to feed the young. This condition is known as gynaecomastism. Spiny anteater can roll itself into a ball to surprise the attacker. It is found throughout Australia and Tasmania.
Mammal: Type # 3. Macropus (Kangaroo):
Female Kangaroo has a marsupial pouch in which the immature young ones are fed by the mother. Long thick stout tail makes a tripod with hind limbs. The leather of the kangaroo is water proof. Its flesh is eaten. It is a native of Australia, Tasmania and neighbouring islands.
Mammal: Type # 4. Sorex (Shrew):
Its saliva contains a poisonous substance which helps the animal to capture the prey. They are un-tamable and hence their name. The water shrew is the smallest mammal as large as a human thumb.
Mammal: Type # 5. Hemi echinus (Hedgehog):
When disturbed it rolls itself into a ball. The skin is covered with short spines intermingled with hair except on the belly. The spines are modified hair which protects the body. The hedgehog is useful as it destroys insects.
Mammal: Type # 6. Dasypus (Armadillo):
Dasypus novemeinctus, the nine-banded armadillo is found in N. America. Some species of armadillo are also present in S. America. These are the only living mammals that have bony plates in their skin. The plates are intercepted by hair.
At the time of danger, it rolls up into a ball for protection. It is nocturnal, scavenger and lives in burrows. It shows polyembryony in which one zygote produces four to eight young ones of the same sexes. Mycobacterium leprae (bacteria which cause leprosy) can grow in Armadillo.
Mammal: Type # 7. Bats:
The bats are the only mammals which have wings and can really fly. The eyes are usually not functional. The bats use a highly developed echo-apparatus, a radar system of their own. Supersonic sounds emitted by them vibrate through the air and then strike upon any object in their way and are deflected back and instantly “picked up” by their ears.
These warning echoes enable bats to locate and evade obstacles in their course. The baby bat clings tightly to its mother s body and its mouth holds one of her teats in a permanent grip.
The bats are classified into two main groups:
(a) Frugivorous bats:
They are large sized and fruit eating bats. Some bats bring about cross pollination as in Kigelia pinnata (Sausage tree- an Angiosperm).These bats are also harmful as they damage the fruits by chewing their juice only, e.g., Pteropus (Large bat or Flying Fox).
(b) Carnivorous bats:
They are small sized insect eating bats but rare у they are also bigger in size. These bats are useful as they destroy insects, e.g., Scotophilus (Small bat).
Mammal: Type # 8. Manis (Scaly anteater or Pangolin):
In India, it can be seen in the hilly tracts of Assam Sikkim and South India. The body is covered with epidermal scales expects on snout and under surface. It is a nocturnal. It breaks open the termite and ant nests with its strong claws and inserts its long sticky and highly protrusible tongue.
It withdraws its tongue to swallow the insects stuck to it into the mouth. It does not have teeth. In defence, it rolls up its body into a ball the pyloric stomach of this mammal has small pebbles or stones and works like the gizzard of some birds, hence the name bajra kit (i.e., stone eater).
Mammal: Type # 9. Rattus rattus (The common house rat):
It is herbivorous, fossorial and nocturnal animal, and undergoes hibernation. It shows a sort of sexual dimorphism. It is a prolific breeder. Its gestation period is about 22 to 23 days. The rat breeds more than four times in year producing 6-8 young ones in each litter.
Average age of a rat is 3 years. Both fore and and limbs are pentadactyle. Each limb is made up of proximal segment, the stylopodium, middle segment, the zeugopodium and distal segment; the autopodium typical walking pads are present on the palms and soles. The palms and soles lack hair.
Mammal: Type # 10. Cavui (Guinea pig):
Due to the absence of canines, a toothless space, the diastema is present between the incisors and pre-molars. It has no tail. It is a prolific breeder. It is an excellent laboratory animal used in various laboratory experiments.
Mammal: Type # 11. Funambulus (Striped squirrel):
It builds nests. It feeds on seeds, nuts and fruits (rugivorous) the body are with three or five longitudinal stripes of dark colour on the back, they are worldwide in distribution except Australia and its neighbouring islands.
Mammal: Type # 12. Hystrix (Porcupine):
Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica) favours rocky and hilly areas. It is nocturnal. It can be very destructive for gardens and crops. The body bears long rigid erectile spines which are in-fact modified hair. The spines are excellent weapons of offence.
Mammal: Type # 13. Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus):
Rabbit is a herbivorous, coprophagous, crepuscular cursorial, fossorial, and polygamous animal. It is a prolific breeder. The upper lip is longitudinally grooved and, therefore, the incisor teeth are visible. Such a divided lip is called hare lip. The fur of the rabbit is used for making gloves, caps, purses, etc. By digging their burrows they destroy the golf lawns and sports grounds.
Mammal: Type # 14. Balaenoptera musculus (Blue whale):
Whales are the largest animals in existence. They are the inhabitants of the open ocean. They are gregarious and carnivorous. It swims with the help of powerful tail and flippers (fore limbs). The skin lacks hair, except a few hairs present on the lips.
The skin does not have sweat and oil glands. Pinnae are not found in whale. Oil extracted from its blubber has great economic importance. Longest animal with one nostril (naris) is whale. Whales are hunted mainly for their oil.
Mammal: Type # 15. Platanista gangetica (Gangetic Dolphin):
They are found in Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus and their larger tributaries. They do not enter the seas. Paired pectoral flippers (fins) are more or less triangular in shape. The dorsal fin is rudimentary and is seen as fleshy ridge. The sweat and oil glands have little value for aquatic mammals, therefore, they are absent.
Mammal: Type # 16. Panthera leo (Lion):
Lions are found in Africa and India. In India they are now confined to the Gir Forest in Gujarat state. They exhibit sexual dimorphism. Only males bear longer hairs (mane) around the neck. About 3 years old female is capable of giving rise to her first litter. The period of gestation is about 116 days. Male lion looks after the young ones and often gets food for them. The life span of a lion is from 20-30 years.
Mammal: Type # 17. Panthera tigris (Tiger):
Tigers are found in India, China and Indonesia. They prefer the places with humid evergreen forests. Tigers are good swimmers. They are striped and with short hair. As in other carnivores the limbs are digitigrade. Canine teeth are well formed and very useful in feeding.
Tigers may live about 18 to 19 years. The first white tiger was captured in the forest of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh in 1951. It was bred with an ordinary tigress. Now all white tigers are progeny of this white tiger. White tigers are similar to ordinary tigers except they lack melanine pigment. Tiger is national animal of India.
Mammal: Type # 18. Herpestes edwardsi (Common Mongoose):
It is carnivorous. The fight between a mongoose and a snake is very common. A common mongoose produces five litters in a year and each litter has two to three young ones.
Mammal: Type # 19. Odobenus (Walrus)
It is a marine carnivorous found in Arctic ocean. The upper canines are very long, downwardly directed, forming tusks in both the sexes. The tusks are used for digging up food. Fore limbs are modified into paddle like structures which are primary swimming organs. The penis is very large. Walrus comes to land for breeding and it is thought that it breeds once in three years.
Mammal: Type # 20. Phoca (Seal)
It is a marine carnivore which visits land for rest and breeding. The seal is usually gregarious. The limbs are paddle-like with webbed digits adopted for swimming. They are hunted for oil yielding blubber and skins.
Mammal: Type # 21. Elephants:
The largest living land animals. The nose and upper lip are modified as an elongated proboscis (trunk or snout). Two upper incisors are modified as tusks. An African elephant has the largest ears in the animal kingdom. Females have smaller tusks than males.
Canines are absent. Elephants have most acute sense of smell among mammals. Elephants use their tusks for defence. Elephants are the only animals with four knees. They are the only animals that cannot jump. Elephants are pachyderms (i.e., thick skined). There are two species of elephants in existence; Elephas indicus, Indian elephant, and Elephas (= Loxodonta) Africana, the African elephant.
Mammal: Type # 22. Equus zebra (African Zebra):
The horns are absent. No two zebras are striped alike. Zebra stripes are as individual as human thumb prints. The organs of smell are well developed. Sense of hearing is exceptionally very strong and acute.
Mammal: Type # 23. Tapirus (Tapir):
It is found in Central and South America and South East Asia. It is the most primitive of modern perissodactyls. It is nocturnal and herbivore which is fond of forests and water. Tapir has a short proboscis (snout) formed of the nose and upper lip.
Mammal: Type # 24. Rhinoceros unicornis (Indian one horned rhinoceros):
In India it is restricted to Assam state. It is also found in Nepal. The thick skin is almost hairless and is divided into big shields by heavy folds. Rhinos with two horns over their snout are found in Africa and south East Asia. The horns grow throughout life and, if lost, are replaced.
Many legends and beliefs are attached to this animal. Its horn is believed to have some medicinal value. The urine is considered antiseptic. The great one horned rhino is next to elephant in size among the largest land mammals. This is the second largest land animal.
Mammal: Type # 25. Hippopotamus:
‘Hippopotamus’ is a Greek combination of hippo and potamus meaning ‘horse of the river’ hence means ‘river horse’. It is only found in the rivers and lakes of Africa. During day it remains in water but it comes out on land at night to feed on the surrounding vegetation. Thus it leads an amphibious life. The skin is thick, smooth and almost without hair. Each limb has four digits which are partially webbed. It can remain submerged in water for five minutes. It gives birth its young one under water. The sweat of Hippopotamus is red in colour.
Mammal: Type # 26. Camelus (Camel):
Only two species of camel exist.
(i) Camelus dromedarius (Arabian Camel):
It is a single humped camel extensively found in South Western Asia and North America. It is domesticated in North-Western India.
(ii) Camelus bactrianus. (Bactrian Camel):
It is the two humped camel found in Gobi desert In Central Asia, the United States and also Ladakh, (part of J & K, India).
The hump contains reserve food in the form of fat, which provides water as well as heat, when metabolized. The stomach is three chambered (rumen, reticulum, and abomasum) and its wall forms a number of sacculated structures usually called water pockets.
Omasum, fourth part of stomach of cow, is absent in camel. Water pockets do not store water. Red blood corpuscles of camels are oval. The RBCs are de-nucleated as in other mammals.
Mammal: Type # 27. Giraffa (Giraffe):
They are now restricted to tropical Africa. It is the tallest living animal measuring up to 16 feet high. Head of both the sexes has small un-branched horns that are never shed. Upper canines are absent. Tongue is long and sensitive and used in browsing on trees. Vocal cords are absent. Thus the giraffe has no voice and can deliver a message to another giraffe only by moving its tail. Neck is long bearing seven cervical vertebrae.
Mammal: Type # 28. Bos indicus (cow):
It is found in India and Africa. It is also called ‘humped cattle’. It is characterised by presence of prominent hump, upright horns a long face and dropping ears. The stomach of cow (Fig. 4.80) is four chambered rumen (paunch), the reticulum (honey comb), Omasum (psalterium) and abomasum (rennet). Ruminant animals like cow chew the cud. Primates. They include prosimians and simians.
Mammal: Type # 29. Primates:
They include procimians and simians.
Mammal: Type # 30. Prosimians:
The lemurs, lorises and tarsiers are called prosimians:
(i) Lemur:
It is mostly found in Madagascar and neighbouring islands. It has long and non-prehensile tail. It has poor vision,
(ii) Loris:
Loris is also found in India. It has larger forwardly directed eyes. It does not have tail. Slender loris is found in the forests of South India (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh). Slow loris is found in the tropical forests of north-eastern India including Assam,
(iii) Tarsier:
It lives in Philippines and adjacent islands. It has very large eyes and a tuft of hair at the end of the tail. The tarsal region of foot is long hence its name is tarsier.
Mammal: Type # 31. Simians:
The monkeys, apes and men are called simians.
Mammal: Type # 32. Monkeys:
The monkeys are of two kinds: new world monkeys and old world monkeys.
Mammal: Type # 33. Apes:
From the evolution point of view, they are the nearest mammals which resemble men in many aspects. Men and apes had common ancestors. They have longer forelimbs than the hind limbs.
They do not have tail. Face expression like pleasure, surprise, laughter and anger can be seen. They are chiefly arboreal, diurnal, omnivorous and gregarious. They have very prominent brow ridges. Apes are capable of communication by vocal means.
Examples of apes are:
(i) Gibbon (Hylobates):
It is the smallest, cleanest and most gentle ape. It is the only race of apes found in India in the forests of Assam. Gibbons have remarkable vocal power,
(ii) Orangutan (Pongо or Simia):
It constructs a sort of nest on tree top for living. It is found in Sumatra and Borneo,
(iii) Chimpanzee (Pan):
It is the most intelligent ape. It is found in Africa. Chimpanzees are the closest relatives of men.
(iv) Gorilla (Gorilla):
It is the largest ape. It is very dangerous. It is found in Africa.
Mammal: Type # 34. Homo sapiens (The man):
The man dominates all the animals and has the following characters:
(i) The man is a social and cultured animal,
(ii) He is the most intelligent animal who has the ability to learn and transmit experiences. In fact he has a language and speech,
(iii) The man has opposable thumbs,
(iv) The man has better development of facial gestures.