Mammal lab exam-revised2012

Mammalogy Lab Review
(Revised 2012)
M.G. Ryan
K.L. Goodyear

The Lab Exam (Last year’s format)
• 4Q = Skull Anatomy (Name bones, Foramina,
Processes)
• 4Q = Teeth (ID, formulas, characteristics…type of teeth)
• 4Q= ID Skulls with keys (rodents, carnivores to
genus/species)
• 4Q= Skulls/Mounts horse cow, whale, to order/family
• 2Q= ID without keys mounts/skins of Provincial
Mammals
• 2Q= Provincial Mammal skulls to family
• 2Q= Integument
Questions have MULTIPLE PARTS

What you will find in this powerpoint
• An overview of what you should know
• Tips and tricks for recognizing and keying
skulls
• An in-depth review of teeth
• A review of provincial mammals
• Histology and study skin review
• Some sample problems

Lab terms you absolutely must know

Lab terms you absolutely must know

Note: These terms include:
1)Anatomy/Dental
2)Histology
3)Terms used to describe skin

Don’t worry, a lot of them are not that bad…

Warning: Unseen Specimens
Beware that a small percentage of the lab exam will be
comprised of specimens that you have never seen before. This is
just to test how well you can think on your feet.

In the past this has occurred in the keying and provincial
mammals/skins stations.

You can prepare for this by:
-> Reviewing your class notes
-> Taking note of what specimens are on display during lab
review
-> Knowing your Provincial Mammals Chart MAKE SURE YOU
ASK FOR THIS IF IT IS NOT ON D2L YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Past Unseen Specimens
The Camel: Had to key it. Recognize it as
ungulate with canines

NOT a provincial
mammal

The Fisher: Skin provided, was asked what is
was. It lives in Labrador.

A mustelid from
Labrador

The whale vertebrae: asked what family it
belonged to

WARNING: The Bat
 You probably will have to label it!

KNOW:The
location of
these

WARNING: The Whale
 You probably will have to label it!

KNOW:
what this is

WARNING: Know your phylogeny!
What Family does this belong to?

*Consult Big Crazy
Specimen Table
under Facebook
docs section

Antilocapridae

WARNING: Know your phylogeny!
Hint: You will also be expected to know
orders and families on the final so start
learning them early.

He may give fill in the missing term
questions on the final. For now just
worry about the phylogeny of lab
specimens.

See the following mnemonic to help

How To Remember
• Getting the basic order is easy!
• We just need to remember two things about Dr. Miller.

1)He REALLY likes seals…and their distribution patterns:

Miller's Mammalogy Talks Are Mainly Powerpoints of Harp Seal X
Distribution Species Patterns, Ranging Latitudes.

2) He put a Tylopod (Camel) on our lab exam and
expected us to know what it was based on its canines!

Somehow Ted's Exam Specimen Tylopod Seriously Raged His Class, Pupils
Can't Perceive Canines!

Thing
+ +
Mammalogy
+ + =
One

+ + + + =
Thing
Two

NOT camel toe!

Lets not even get started on the Fisher 

Thing One Thing Two
The Big Picture LUH!

Mammalogy

Be aware of
these terms

Be aware
that the
ORDER can
switch at
the nodes

Skull Anatomy
Hint: What are the most common in the keys?
Steps to keying: *THERE IS A LOT OF THIS!
1) Look at the size and shape of the skull so you can make a
rough prediction on what you will be keying.
2) Look for major landmarks such as the size of the infraorbital
foramen or the presence of an alisphenoid canal
3) Look at its teeth (how many? What type?)
4) Make a mental list of all these features
5) Use your key

Skull Anatomy: Characteristics
What key features define each group you have
looked at in lab?
An EXCELLENT BOOK:
QL 822 E43 2006

*It is located in the reference section so
it cannot leave the library (unless you
beg them  )

• See Kylie's Kick Ass Skull Anatomy!
(Facebook docs section)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51181739

Lagomorphs
• Characterized by fostral fenestra
-1 in pikas
-Numerous in rabbits and hares

• Massive incisive foramen

• Bridge like palate

• Extra set of ‘Peg like’ incisors

• Large diastima

Rodents (General)
• Large diastema
• Curved mandible that is loosely articulated
• Infraborbital formina differ in shape

Family Scuridae
• Well developed post orbital process that stick out
• Small infraorbital foramen
• Large zygomatic plate
• Mastoid muscles don’t pass through foramen (small)
Scurimorphs –very small muscles do not pass through
Myomorph –part of muscle through -slit like
Hysticomorphs –massive –muscles pass through

Family Geomydiae –Pocket gopher
• Flattened squared skulls
• Wide spreading zygomata
• Temporal ridges and sagittal crest

Family Geomydiae –Pocket gopher

Family Castoridae –beavers
• Wide spreading zygomata
• Temporal ridges and sagittal crest
• Flattened squared skulls

Family Castoridae –beavers

Family Muridae –Rats, Mice, Voles

• myomorphs
• Slit like infraorbits
• 3 cheek teeth
• Lacks postorbital process
• myomorphs
• Slit like infraorbits
• 3 cheek teeth
• Lacks postorbital process

Family Muridae –Rats, Mice, Voles

Family Erethizontidae
• Large infraorbital foramen
• Histomorphs

Family Erethizontidae

Carnivora (in general)
• Large canine teeth
• Usually well developed canasils
• Sagittal crest well defined
• Mandibular process

Family Phocidae
Lack post
orbital
process

Family Mustelidae

• Large slender canines
• Well developed carnasils
• Short rounded mandibles
• Well developed sagittal crest
• Long brain cases
• Short mandibles
• No post orbital bar

Family Mustelidae

Family felidae

• Long slender canines
• Long blade like carnassils
• Tight articulation of mandible
• Round squat skull
• Wide spreading zygomatic arch
• Large forward orbits

Family felidae

Family Urisidae
Alisphenoid canal present
Last molar is the Largest

Family Canidae

Skull Anatomy
Difficult parts to recognize

Skull Anatomy: Alisphenoid
Alisphenoid Bone and Alsphenoid Canal: the passes through
the alisphenoid bone.
WARNING: This is the one of the hardest elements to identify
and occurs on many of the keys!

Be careful as there are several canals-looking structures that
occur in that area of the skull…anything with eyes will have a
hole for the optic nerve there!

• Felines NEVER have alisphenoid canals
• Bears always have them
• Dogs, wolves, and foxes have them

Skull Anatomy: Alisphenoid
Alisphenoid Bone and Alsphenoid Canal: the passes through
the alisphenoid bone.
Grey Wolf

Bob cat: NO Alsphenoid Canal

Hint: Bring a paperclip to the lab exam
and see if you can feed it through

Premaxilla, Maxilla, Lacrimal Bone

Molars, Mastoids, and Pterygoid
Parking Lots

Paraocciptial Process
NERD Mnemonic: The
paraocciptial process is
para to the occipital
region.

Check out the massive post
Orbital process of the Coypu!
Para-xylene

Teeth
 Most mammals have teeth (usually diphydont)
 Some lack teeth
 Echidnas
 Platypus
 Baleen whales
 Some have homodont teeth: armadillo, seals,
horse, toothed whale (we had a pothead whale)

Tooth structure
 The outer most layer is enamel (related to bone)
 Under the enamel is dentin
 The pulp cavity houses the
blood vessels (grows, living)
 The root is below the gum line
 Cementum usually surrounds
the root

NOTE: A=crown, B=root

Basics
Mammals have 4 kinds
of teeth:
•Incisors
•Canines
•Premolars
•Molars

Milk teeth and tooth replacement
 Diphydont teeth: two sets of teeth in lifetime
 Milk (the ones that fall out, AKA deciduous)
 All types of teeth (PM, I, C) BUT molars
 Adult
 Mammals are USUALLY diphydont BUT there
are exceptions:
 Toothed whales (ONLY have 1 set)
 Rodents/pinnipeds tooth-replacement in
utero

Tongue
 Strongest muscle
 Partially supported by the hyoid

Tribosphenic teeth
 Teeth of Therians (Marsupials + Eutherians) are
thought to have EVOLVED from tribosphenic teeth

 Tribosphenic teeth have 3 main cusps:
 Protocone
 Metacone
 Paracone

Cheek teeth: Cusp patterns
 Cheek teeth= M and PM
 Each cusp=cone= points on crown (visible part)
 Cones can be described as:
 Proto: first Apex of cusp (lingual side)
 Para: next to Anterior cusp along labial margin
 Meta: middle Posterior cusp along labial margin
 Hypo: below lingual side (square-like)
 Ento: in

Cheek teeth cont’d
 Minor cusps have “ule” suffix
 Bottom jaw= “id” replaces “ne” in cone e.g. paraconid)
 Cingulum= shelf like ridge outside of upper M
 If a tooth has: protocone, paracone, metacone, and
hypocone= Quadrate

The Diversity of Cheek Teeth
 Zalambdodont: characterized by V-shaped crest (AKA
ectoloph)
 Homologous to a paracone
 Found in golden moles and soledons

Dilambdodont
 Well-developed ectoloph
 But this time is a W-shape
 shrews (Soricidae), moles (Talpidae), and many
insectivorous bats (e.g., Vespertilionidae).

Quadrate teeth
 Addition of hypocone (square-like)
 These teeth are found in:
 hedgehogs (Erinaceidae)
 raccoons (Procyonidae
 many monkeys (e.g., Hominidae, Cercopithecidae,
Cebidae).

Hypsodont
 Hypsodont= high-crowned teeth
 In animals that feed on hard substances (subjected to
tooth wear)
 Gives the animal lee-way for wear
 Example: Ungulates  horses

Brachydont
 Brachydont= low crowned teeth
 Example: humans, voles, muskrat, etc.

Wear patterns
 Lophodont: elongated ridges that run between cusps
 Lateral grooves
 Elephants, rodents, etc.
 Selenodont: elongated ridges that run anterior-posterior
 Longitudinal grooves
 Even toed-ungulates: sheep, cows, etc.
 Loxodont: look like washboards
 Bunodont: quadrate upper teeth with low rounded cusps
(humans, bears, raccoons, and pigs, etc.) looks like
popcorn (thanks Kendra! )

Tooth placement
 Teeth in mammals are ONLY on 3 bones:
 Dentary (part of mandible)
 Maxilla canines,molars, and premolars
 Premaxilla incisors
Premaxilla

Maxilla

Tooth placement
 Aside from placement in the mouth the tooth has
surfaces too! (fml)
 Surfaces include:
 Labial (near the cheeks/close to lips)
 Lingual (near the tongue
linglingustics/tongue? :P)
 Occlusal: masticating surface of molars and
premolars

Labial, lingual, and occlusal

Lingual Labial

Occlusal

Specialized dentition
 Some organisms (rodents, lagomorphs, ungulates,
etc.) have a large diastema (the huge gap between
incisors and other teeth)
 Lagomorphs have special “peg-like teeth”
 Carnassials: P4/M1

What the hell does cynodont teeth
mean?
 In non-mammalian cycodonts the molars (M) and
premolars (PM) are undifferentiated

 SO if you get a key that says cycodont teeth KNOW
that it only means you can’t tell the difference between
M and PM

Creodont
 Creodont is a TRICK!!!!!!!!!!!
 Dr. Miller thought it was funny
 For your interest please see either his lecture notes on
carnivores OR wikipedia (I recommend the later :P)
 Creodont refers to an ancient group of sabre tooth
tiger looking creatures (DO NOT tick this as an option
on the lab exam!)

Teeth can be defined in several ways
 By the type
 Incisor, Canine, Molar, and Premolar
 By the wear pattern (most prominent in masticating
organisms
 Selenodont
 Bunodont
 Lophodont
 Creodont

Dental formulae
 The dental formulae we get consist of these teeth
 The order is as follows
 Incisors
 Canines
 Premolars
 Molars
 The order in the dental formula comes from the order
in your mouth 
 The numerator=top teeth and the
denominator=bottom teeth (to get total teeth add all
numbers and then multiply by 2)

2 Mnemonics
Dental Formulae and Taxonomy

K.L. Goodyear

Humans…easy as 123
2-123 21 23
21 23

You guys, lab exam day?

80

Seals
2 1 5 - 2 + 3...15? 3 1 5 -
21 5- 21 5-
Cystophora Phoca + Sea Lions

WARNING 1: Can’t tell molars and
premolars apart! The 5 is given the WARNING 2:
designation PC or “post-canine”

81

Warning: This next one is NOT as
bad as it looks. The key is to memorize
the pattern which should be done in
steps

82

Lets do the incisors first!
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
See a pattern? 83

What comes before 3?
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
Just remember that moles are kinda weird and
have to be the “even”one out with regard to the
incisors...lame pun I know...
84

How about canines?
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3 “Different”
moles
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
Moles again...have to be different!

85

What comes before 1?
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
Moles again...have to be different!

86

Now it gets a little harder...lets
finish the moles...
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
What is the most common “fraction”?...3/3

87

What comes after 3?
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
See the pattern here?

88

2s like to hang out in groups
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
2’s like to stay together...keep it that way!

89

3s are loners
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2

90

Ok...the rest is not so bad...1’s first!
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
1’s in the middle of a 2/3 sandwhich

91

2/3?
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2
Terminal to the 1s...the bread of the 2/3
sandwich?
92

Now all you need is 1/2
Mole: 3/2 1/0 3/3 3/3
Canis: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Cat: 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1
Lynx: 3/3 1/1 2/2 1/1
Bear: 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
Otter: 3/3 1/1 4/3 1/2

93

One last step...memorize the
mammal order...

94

Practice writing out this pattern
and write it on your sheet BEFORE
the exam so you have a reference to
go by...this way you won’t have to
try and memorize individual ones
under the time crunch.

95

Rat, Beaver, Muskrat
Rat: 1/1 0/0 0/0 3/3
Beaver: 1/1 0/0 1/1 3/3
Muskrat: 1/1 0/0 1/1 3/3

96

Not so bad…make a rodent
Rat: 1/1 0/0 0/0 3/3
How many rats
do you know
with “fangs”?
Middle has to be
zeros!

97

Now give it a thick tail
Beaver: 1/1 0/0 1/1 3/3
Muskrat: 1/1 0/0 1/1 3/3

98

Hare…they don’t have “fangs”
 Start with 2/1 as they
have those peg teeth

2 03 3 

0 canines…obviously!
Draw bunny ears on
top…33
1 02 3  How many did you
draw?...2
 And one more since
Easter is coming up…3

99

Big 3 Herbivores
 Cow, muskox ,moose
 Cows go m00
003 3  Consider them the “big
3”

31 33  Fill in the 1

100

WARNING…the Camel
 No need to memorize…you

1 1 33 can count…just watch the
canines!

31 23

101

And lastly…the armadillo
 PC 7-9….that’s it!
 They only have post canines…(like seals)
 Can’t tell teeth apart so don’t even try 00PC7-9 is fine

102

How To Remember
• Getting the basic order is easy!
• We just need to remember two things about Dr. Miller.
1)He REALLY likes seals…and their distribution patterns:
Miller's Mammalogy Talks Are Mainly Powerpoints of Harp Seal X
Distribution Species Patterns, Ranging Latitudes.

2) He put a Tylopod (Camel) on last year’s lab exam
and expected us to know what it was based on its
canines!

Somehow Ted's Exam Specimen Tylopod Seriously Raged His Class, Pupils
Can't Perceive Canines!

By: Morag
With special thanks to:
Kylie and Kendra
110

Part 1– Rodent and
Rodent looking creatures
Insectivora
Lagomorpha
Rodentia
111

Tricks for remembering tooth types
 We went over a lot of tooth terminology let’s do
it again!
 You can categorize via:
 Teeth type: canines, incisors, molars, premolars
 Crown type: brachydont (low) and hypsodont
(high)
 Wear patterns: lophodont (or loxodont,
depending on how extreme lophodont they
are), selenodont, and bunodont
112

Insectivora
 Order: Insectivora
 Shrews
 Moles

114

Insectivora: Shrews
 Common name: shrew
 Family name: Soricidae
 Dental formula:
NOTE: Sorex cinereus is the

31 33 only native shrew species to
Newfoundland!

1113 NOTE: canines (rodents do NOT have
them.... So you know it isn’t a mouse or other
small rodent)
115

Insectivora: Moles
 Common name: Mole
 Family name: Talipidae
 Dental formula:

31 33 Note: The star-nosed mole is
native to Labrador
2 03 3 They have dilambdodont teeth

116

Lagomorpha
 Order: Lagomorpha
 Pikas
 Rabbits
 hares

117

Lagomorphs
 Common name: Rabbits and hares
 Family name: Leporidae
 Dental formula

2 03 3
1 02 3 They have peg-like incisors! With NO canines,
which is unlike insectivora
118

Lagomorphs
 Common name: Pika
 Family: Ochotonidae
 Dental formula

2 03 2
1 02 3 They have one less molar than
the nest of the lagomorphs

119

Rodentia
 Aplodontidae mountain beaver
 Sciuridae Squirrels, marmots, and chipmunks
 Geomyidae Pocket gopher
 Castoridae Beaver
 Muridae Mice, rats, and voles (includes
muskrat)
 Erethizontidae Porcupine
 Myocastoridae Coypu
 Chinchillidae chinchilla 120

Rodentia Sciurognaths
 These little critters have VERY small
infraorbital foramen
 They are quickly identified as those with the
triangular postorbital processes that
Kylie keeps drawing 
 They have small infraorbital foramina
because their masseter muscles DO NOT
pass through
121

Sciurognaths
 Sciurognaths= squirrel-like rodents
 The families within this “group” that we
discussed were:
 Sciuridae: Chipmunks, marmots, and
squirrels
 Aplodontidae: Mountain beaver
 Castoridae: Beavers

122

Sciurognaths: Sciuridae

Squirrels
Marmots
Chipmunks

1 01 3
1 01 3
123

Sciurognaths: Castoridae
Beaver

1 01 3
1 01 3
124

Sciurognaths: Aplodontidae
 Mountain beaver (NOT AN ACTUAL
BEAVER)

1 02 3
1 01 3
125

Myomorphs
 They lack the postorbital process
that the sciurognaths have
 They also have slit-like (key hole)
infraorbital foramina as their
masseter muscles do pass through this
hole

126

Myomorphs
 Mouse-like rodents
 The families we discussed:
 Muridae: rats, mice, and voles
(includes muskrats)
 Geomyidae

127

Myomorphs
 Common names: voles, mice, and rats
 Family: Muridae
 Dental formula

1 003
1 003
Note: 3 cheek teeth
128

Myomorhs– Muridae
Rattus rattus

129

Myomorphs– Muridae

130

Myomorphs– Muridae

Mus musculus

131

Myomorphs
 Common name: Pocket gopher
 Family name: Geomyidae
 Dental formula

1 01 3
1 01 3
132

Hystricognaths
 These rodents also lack the postorbital
processes as seen in the sciurognaths
 Hystricognaths have very LARGE
infraorbital foramina, since their masster
musscle passes through this hole

133

Hystricognaths
 Hystricognaths= cavy-like rodents
 The families we discussed are:
 Erethizontidae Porcupine
 Myocastoridae Coypu

134

Hystricognaths
 Common name: New world porcupine
 Family: Erithizontidae
 Dental formula

1 01 3
1 01 3
135

Hystricognaths
 Common name: Coypu
 Family: Myocastoridae
 Dental formula

1 01 3
1 01 3
136

Now that we know who they are
how do we tell the little bastards
apart ?

137

Identifying groups
 Insectivore versus rodent
 Insectivores have canines, rodents do
NOT
 Look at shape of skull and amount of
teeth to tell the insectivores apart

138

Identifying groups
 Lagomorphs versus rodents
 Lagomorphs have peg-like teeth (I= 2/1)
 Lagomorphs also have a lattice like
structure where their infraorbital structure
would be
 Rodents have a curved mandible
 To tell lagomorphs apart look at the degree of
latticing (pika have less, they also one less
molar)
139

Identifying between rodents
 We have a lot of little skulls and
medium sized skulls that have “bucky
beaver teeth”
 Here are some tricks to picking them
apart

140

Bucky beaver teeth– WTF?

141

What not to look at
 DO NOT focus on teeth (they may be missing)– although
this is not to say ignore them (incisor type and wear patterns
can be useful)
 DO NOT go by colour they are old and can vary depending
on how they are cleaned and how much sun exposure they
have had
 DO NOT go by absolute size remember there could be
sexual dimorphism and age differences (HOWEVER: we do
know that a rat is smaller than a beaver, therefore size would
be good here :P)

142

Steps Infraorbital foramen
 Look at the size of the infraorbital foramen
 If it is small and round it is a sciurogath
(squirrel, marmot, chipmunk, beaver, or
mountain beaver)
 If it is small and slit-like (key hole) it is a
myomorph (mouse, rat, vole: muskrat, or
pocket gopher)
 If it is huge then it is likely a hystricognath
(coypu or porcupine)
143

Steps Sciurognath?
 So you’ve got a small (NON-slit-like)
infraorbital foramen
 Fantastic! You got yourself a sciurognath
(squirrel-like rodent)
 In lab we saw a marmot, a beaver, and a
mountain beaver

144

 First we can see if it is a mountain beaver
(Aplodontidae)
 If it has a flask shaped auditory bulla then we have a
mountain beaver, if not, it is one of the other two

145

 SO you don’t have a flask shaped auditory bulla... No
worries!
 Look for the basioccipital pit beavers have a VERY
distinct one (if it doesn’t have one it is probably a
marmot)

146

Steps Myomorph
 So you have a small, slit-like infraorbital
foramen
 Fantastic! You have a myomorph, which
includes mice, voles (muskrat), pocket
gophers, and rats
 The rat is easy, usually you can just tell and
you can measure the skull to see if it is a
mouse (rats are larger, NOTE: Mus and
Rattus are a couplet)
147

Steps Myomorph
 Pocket gophers and muskrats have a different dental
formula (see previous slide)
 HOWEVER, we all know how great we are at counting
teeth... So lets go another route, shall we?
 The muskrat has a postorbital crest plus they have
odd teeth

148

Steps Hystricognath
 So you have a huge infraorbital foramin
 Fantastic! You have a hystricognath, otherwise known
as a group of “cavy-like” rodents
 We looked at the porcupine and coypu in particular
 To tell the difference look at the huge paraoccipital
process (kick stand for non-marsupials=mastoid) on
the coypu

149

TEETH (Important points)
 Loxodont= severe lophodont
 TICK both when you get loxodont

TEETH (Important points)
 Extreme lophodonty is seen is modern
elephants (Elephantidae) and some
rodents (Hydrochoerus, fam.
Hydrochaeridae; Otomys, fam. Muridae).
 In these forms, the teeth look like an old-
fashioned washboard, a condition referred
to as loxodont

Teeth Character Six Step Check List

Can you RECOGNIZE these provincial Mammals?
How about some National Geo Facts?

Native to Newfoundland and Labrador

Extinct in Newfoundland and Labrador

Native to Newfoundland

Hoary!

Lasiurus cinereus
Common Name: Hoary Bat

Characteristics:
1) Marble fur – orange yellow and brown highlights
2) Uropatagium completely furred
3) Short round ears
4) Migratory – roosts in trees

Bearded Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: Its whiskers
serve as feelers!!!! It feed
on variety of small prey
found along the ocean
floor, including clams,
squid, and fish.

LUH!

Gray Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: Gray seals
breed in a variety of
habitats where
disturbance is minimal,
including rocky shores,
I am also known a s a
sandbars, ice flows, and
“horse-head” seal islands. They feed in cold
open waters.

LUH!
Harp Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: Harp seals
prefer to swim in the
ocean, spending
relatively little time on
land. Weaning is abrupt;
the mother turns from
nursing to promiscuous
If you had a guest mating, leaving the pup
lecture on these guys behind on the ice.
beware for FINAL

It’s OK…they have their own Facebook
Group!
At least the
baby ones do!

Actually, he may not know
what Facebook is...

Harbour Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: Known as
the “common” seal. The
seals frequently choose
to congregate in harbors
and have been known to
attack and consume
several kinds of birds.
“V” shaped nostrils

Boxer like face

Ringed Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: They are
solitary animals and
when hauled out on ice
separate themselves
from each other by
hundreds of yards.

Rings! Look for the white outline
around them!

Hooded Seal
Family: Phocidae

NatGeo Fact: The bulge
develops when the seal is
four years old. The male
can blow up this bulge, so
that it is the size of its
head. Nursing of the pup
lasts for an average of
only 4 days, the shortest
lactation period of any
mammal.

Some stuff we DONT need to
know
 We will NOT be asked the species or
common name of a skull (fair game for a
skin though)

Some stuff we should know
 Whether or not a species was introduced
or whether it was native
 This also includes whether or not we have
it here
 “Not-even-here” species (OBVIOUS)
◦ Mountain Beaver
◦ Pangolin
◦ Armadillos

Some stuff we should know
 Know if an animal was introduced on
PURPOSE or if it was introduced by
MISTAKE
 Purpose: means that the animal was
brought here for a reason
◦ i.e. Pest control, add to biodiversity, etc.
 Mistake: means that man introduced it
without knowning it
◦ i.e. It jumped in your suitcase, came on a boat,
got a free ride on your camper etc.

ON PURPOSE
 Many plants and animals have been introduced to
Newfoundland, either by chance or deliberately.[20]
Moose, Snowshoe Hare, American Red
Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, and Masked
Shrew, and others, were brought to the island
through specific wildlife mandates.
 Moose were introduced in 1904 and are now the
dominant ungulate on the island. An unusual
experiment conducted in 1964 involved relocating a
small herd of bison onto Brunette Island in Fortune
Bay. The last of these animals is thought to have died
by 1994.[26]

ACCIDENTAL
 RATS, MICE, and MINKS= unintentional
 Rats and mice were unintentionally
introduced while mink escaped from fur
farms.[4] Newfoundland has no native
amphibians, but frogs were introduced onto
the island in the 1860s and toads almost a
century later.[28]

Some are UNKNOWN
 Coyotes are a very recent addition to the
fauna of Newfoundland
 Dr. Miller thinks they are NATIVE though
 How coyotes got onto the island is still
debated by wildlife officials, but it is probable
that they crossed the ice from Cape Breton
Island in the 1980s.[4][27]

A quick trick
 If it crawls and CANNOT swim it was
probably introduced and not native (well
to Newfoundland at least)
 NOTE: Labrador is less surrounded by
water and it is attached to Quebec

Just in case you
forgot :-)
Newfoundland and Labrador

You are HERE

QUICK trick continued
 SO...
◦ Swimming species:
 American Beaver
 Hooded seal (skin + skull)
 Harp (skull + skin)
 Harbour (skull)
 Whales
◦ These are found in Newfoundland and Labrador
(NATIVE)

Provincial Numbers (As of 2011)
RODENTIA: 16 with 3 native to NF and 4 introduced
LAGOMORPHA: 2 with 1 native to NF and 1 introduced
He seems to like
SORICOMORPHA: 4 with 0 native to NF and 1 introduced these!
CHIROPTERA: 3 with 2 native to NF (2 native to Labrador)
CARNIVORA:
Canidae = 4 with 4 native to NF and 1 extinct
Felidae= 1 native
Mustelidae = 7 with 3 native to NF and 1 introduced
Odobenidae = 1
Phocidae= 5...KNOW THEM
Ursidae= 2
ARTIODACTYLA: 2 with 1 native to NF and 1 introduced
CETACEA: 23

Provincial Numbers: Totals
Total Provincial Mammals = 71...Yay Newfoundland and Labrador!
Total Mammals Introduced to NL = 7
Total Newfoundland Land Mammals + Seals= 31
Total Labrador Land Mammals + Seals= 61

Accidental/Not resident (from chart):
• Horay Bat
• Arctic Fox
Mammals capable of VOLANT locomotion= 3 bats

(2 in NL and 2 in Labrador)

Accidental or Purposeful
(PROVINCIALS)

• Red back vole (On purpose)
• Moose (On purpose)
• Cinereous Shrew (On purpose)
• Snowshoe Hare (On purpose)

Rodents
 Pretty much ALL rodents were non-native
to Newfoundland BUT typically in
Labrador
 If they are present in one but not the
other they will be considered “Provincially
native”
 IF he said “Is this species native to
Newfoundland” DO NOT say yes if it is
already in Labrador (OBVIOUSLY)

Rodents
 Don’t worry about jumping mice (we didn’t
get any lab specimens of them)
 ONLY the Meadow Vole and the Common
Muskrat are native to Newfoundland AND
Labrador

Rodents
 Native:
◦ American Beaver
◦ North American Porcupine
◦ Meadow Vole
◦ Common Muskrat

Whales
 You do not need to know where the
baleen came from
 The whale skull IS a pothead whale like
we discussed HOWEVER it is not the
“formal common” name that we
discussed
 Pothead whale= Long-finned Right whale
 BE ABLE TO LABEL ITS SKULL!!!

Vibrissae
 Be able to name and locate on the study
skins you have seen

Skin Specializations: Scales
Armadillos – Order: Xenarthra
 - body covered with dermal scales embedded in the skin on the top of the head,
 back, and sides of the body
 - usually have rings of dermal scales encircling the tail
 - overlying the dermal scales are thin horny epidermal scales
Pangolins – Order: Pholidota
 - no dermal scales
 - body covered with large, leaf shaped overlapping keratinized scales with
 epidermal origin
Norway rat – Family: Muridae, Order: Rodentia
 - scales on tail
Beaver – Family: Castoridae
 - scales on tail
tori are thickened portions of keratinized skin on the foot pads
Cat – Family: Felidae, Order: Carnivora
 Norway Rat – Family: Muridae, Order: - Rodentia
 Northern River Otter – Family: Mustlidae, Order: Carnivora
 Virginia Opossum – Family: Didelphidae

Skin Specializations: Guard Hairs
New World Porcupines – Family: Erethizontidae, Order: Rodentia
 - dorsal side of body covered with spines (stiff, enlarged guard hairs) for
defense
 - spines have barbs on the ends that don’t allow spines to be removed
easily
Tenrecs – Family:Tenrecidae, Order: Afrosoricidae
 - dorsal side of body covered with spines (stiff, enlarged guard hairs) for
defense
 - spines have barbs on the ends that don’t allow spines to be removed
easily
Old World Porcupine – Family: Hystricidae, Order Rodentia
 - dorsal side of body covered with spines for defense, NO barbs
 Hedgehogs – Family: Erinaceidae,
Echidnas – Family:Tachyglossidae, Order: Monotremata

Skin Specializations: Under Hairs
Muskrat – Order: Rodentia
Red Fox – Order: Carnivora
Nothern River Otter – Family: Mustilidae, Order:
Carnivora
 - pelage is layered with a soft dense underfur for
insulation
Snowshoe Hare – Order: Lagomorpha
 - hair on the bottom of feet for insulation

Skin Specializations: Moulting
Snowshoe Hare – Order: Lagomorpha
 - white pelage in the winter, and brown pelage in the
summer for camouflage
Short-tailed weasel – Family: Mustelidae, Order:
Carnivora
 - white dense pelage in the winter, and brown sparse
pelage in the summer for
 camouflage as well as insulation

Skin Specializations: Colour
Shrew – Family: Soricidae
Vole – Order: Rodentia
Norway rat - Family: Muridae, Order: Rodentia
Red Squirrel – Family: Sciuridae, Order: Rodentia
 - agouti hair with alternating bands of pheomelanin
and eumelanin and a black tip
 - fur appears brown, but is banded

KNOW these terms!

Agouti: fur contains a pattern of pigmentation in which
individual hairs have several bands of light and dark
pigment with black tips.

Pheomelanin: imparts a pink to red hue and, thus, is
found in particularly large quantities in red hair.

Eumelanin: has two subtypes of black or brown,
determines the darkness of the hair.

Winter rabbit vs albino rabbit
 - fur of a winter rabbit is white for camouflage
 - fur of an albino rabit lacks pigmentation and is a
genetic trait
Muskrat – Order: Rodentia
Red Fox – Order: Carnivora
Nothern River Otter – Family: Mustilidae, Order:
Carnivora
Countershading: dorsal pelage is darker than ventral
pelage
Skunk – Order: Carnivora
Warning colouration: present to indicate special
means of defense

Histology
 Note there are quite a few slides here so
you can get an idea of what you are
looking at
 Pay attention to the KEY TERMS
provided in your notes and the slides with
the stop signs on them.

Epidermis: Stratified
Squamous Epithelium,
Keratin

Dermis: Dense irregular
connective tissue with
Type I and Type III
collagen and elastic fibers

Sweat Glands: Eccrine
and Apocrine

Hypodermis: Fatty
connective tissue

Stratum Granulosum
• Keratohyalin Granules (KG)
– Histidine-rich protein
– Filaggrin: protein cross-
linking keratin
– Polysaccharides and lipids
• Membrane Coating
Granules (MCGs; aka
lamellar bodies, Odland
bodies)
– Contain ceramide: primary
barrier to water loss

Stratum Corneum

15-20 layers of non-nucleated
flattened cells filled with
keratin filaments.
Keratin filaments are cross-
linked with filaggrin.
The keratin-filaggrin deposited
on the inside of the plasma
membrane form a thickened
cell envelope.

The Dermis
• Papillary and Reticular Dermis

• Contains blood and lymphatic vessels,
nerves, hair follicles, sebaceous glands,
arrector pili muscle, and sweat (eccrine
and apocrine) glands

Epithelial Pegs and Dermal Papillae

Papillary Dermis

Epidermis

Papillary dermis

Reticular
dermis

Dermal Sensory Appendages:
Encapsulated Nerve Endings

Meissner’s
corpuscle

Pacinian
corpuscle

107 Hair Follicle

Arrector Pili muscle
Sebaceous Gland
(Holocrine Secretion)
Hair Shaft ? Eccrine Sweat Glands
Canal
External Root Sheath

Hair Bulb
Connective Tissue (Dermal) Papilla

Sebaceous gland
(Holocrine)

Arrector
pili
muscle
Pilosebaceous
Apparatus

Hair Sweat
gland

finger tip

Epidermis
Dermis
Hypodermis

Pacinian
Corpuscle
(multilayered
capsule surrounding
central nerve fiber)

For Practice
 Sample Lab Exam 1
 Sample Lab Exam II
 Practice Work Sheet by Kendra

GOOD LUCK!

Mammal lab exam-revised2012

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Mammal lab exam-revised2012

Similar to Mammal lab exam-revised2012 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Mammal lab exam-revised2012