Question

Write down the characteristic features of mammals.

Answer 1

Characteristic features of mammals are:

• Mammals belong to class Mammalia under phylum Chordata.
• They are terrestrial and warm-blooded animals.
• Their body is divisible into head, neck, trunk and tail.
• They are characterised by the presence of muscular diaphragm.
• Their skin is covered by epidermal hairs which act as an insulator and maintain the high body temperature.
• The skin has sweat glands and oil-producing sebaceous glands.
• Their skull is dicondylic.
• They have seven cervical vertebrae in the vertebral column.
• True salivary glands are present in the buccal cavity.
• Their respiratory organs are lungs which are spongy and elastic.
• They have metanephric kidneys which are bean-shaped.
• They have characteristic milk-producing glands called mammary glands.