Carnivora

Ailuridae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Canidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Felidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Herpestidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hyaenidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mephitidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mustelidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nandiniidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Odobenidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Otariidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Procyonidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ursidae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Viverridae

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. While the Giant Panda is an herbivore, nearly all others eat meat as their primary diet item: some (like the cat family) almost exclusively, others (like the bears and foxes) are more omnivorous. Members of Carnivora have a characteristic skull shape, and their dentition includes prominent canines and carnassials.

Related Topics:
Order - Mammal - Giant Panda - Herbivore - Cat family - Dentition

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Older classification schemes divided the order into two suborders, Fissipedia, which included the families of primarily land carnivores, and suborder Pinnipedia, which included the true seals, eared seals, and walrus.

Related Topics:
Fissipedia - Pinnipedia - True seal - Eared seal - Walrus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Newer classification schemes, which have been able to integrate the findings from molecular techniques for discovering genetic relationships, generally divide the Carnivora into suborders Feliformia and Caniformia, which includes the pinnipeds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Recent molecular studies suggest that the endemic Carnivora of Madagascar, including three genera classed with the Viverridae and four genera of mongooses classed with the Herpestidae, are all descended from a single ancestor, and form a single sister taxon to the Herpestidae.

Related Topics:
Madagascar - Mongoose - Taxon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Order Carnivora
• Suborder Feliformia ("Cat-like")
• Family Felidae: cats; 37 species in 18 genera
• Family Herpestidae: mongooses and allies; 35 species in 17 genera
• Family Hyaenidae: hyenas and aardwolf; 4 species in 4 genera
• Family Nandiniidae: African palm civets
• Family Nimravidae: false sabre-tooths (extinct)
• Family Viverridae: civets and allies; 35 species in 20 genera
• Suborder Caniformia ("Dog-like")
• Family Ailuridae: red panda; 1 species in 1 genus.
• Family Amphicyonidae: beardogs (extinct)
• Family Canidae: dogs and allies; 35 species in 10 genera
• Family Mephitidae: skunks; 10 species in 3 genera
• Family Mustelidae: weasels, ferrets, badgers, and otters; 55 species in 24 genera
• Family Odobenidae: Walruses
• Family Otariidae: sea lions, eared seals, fur seals
• Family Phocidae: true seals
• Family Procyonidae: raccoons and allies; 19 species in 6 genera
• Family Ursidae: bears; 8 species in 4 genera