Mammal Stations
Here is what you should know about
each station
Skull/ teeth
• If given a skull:
– Identify each tooth type: Incisors, Canine, Molars
– Know the function of each tooth
• A. incisors- biting, cutting and stripping
• B. Canines- seizing, piercing and tearing
• C. Molars- chewing, crushing and grinding
Skull and teeth
• If given a skull be able to distinguish if it is a/n:
– Carnivore- has canines
– Herbivore- no canines
– Insectivore- all teeth approximately the same size,
small and very short
What group do omnivores fall into?
Dental Formula’s
• When given a dental formula, be able to use
the Dental Formula Chart to determine the
species.
• When given a dental formula be able to
determine if it is:
– Herbivore I- 3/ 3, C-0/ 0, PM- 3 /4, M 3/ 3
– Carnivore I- 3/ 3, C- 1/ 1, PM- 3/ 4, M- 3/ 3
– Ungulata I- 0/ 3. C- 0/ 0, PM- 3/ 3, M- 2/ 2
Station 1
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YOU MUST KNOW
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
species
variety
Station 1
• Correct way to write a scientific name
• Typed- Genus species
• Handwritten- Genus species
Station 1
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Know the orders
Ungulata
Carnivora
Insectivora
Marsuplia
Rodentia
Chiroptera
Lagamorpha
Station 2
• Be able to list from memory several of the
mammal characteristics
– Hair
– Mammary Glands
– Diaphragm
– Teeth shed and are replaced one time
– Four chambered heart
– Three bones of the inner ear
– Lower jaw is a single bone-per side
Station 3
• When given a skull be
able to identify that it is
an Insectivora
– Insectivore teeth
– Nasal region is sealed
into a true nose
region
• Examples of
Insectivora- Moles,
Shrews
Station 3
• If given a skull, be able
to identify that it is a
Chiroptera
– Insect eating teeth
– Open nasal region for
sonar use
• Chiroptera’s are bats,
they are insectivores
and use sonar
Station 3
• Voles- Rodentia
• Resemble Mice- grow to
be 3 inches or so
• Prefer to feast on
grasses
Station 4
• If given a skull, be able to identify that it is a
Rodent.
– Has no Canines
– Yellow-Orange color on teeth
• Rodents are herbivores
• Rodents do eat bones for two reasons
– To get minerals
– To keep shorten their teeth as they continually
grow
Station 4
• If given a skull be able to identify that it is a
Lagamorpha
– Four incisors on upper jaw (two are not true
incisors soemtimes they are called eye teeth)
– Teeth do not have the yellow-orange color
• Lagamorpha’s are rabbits and hares
• Lagamorpha teeth also continually grow but
they do not eat bones
Station 5
• If given a skull be able to identify it is a
Carnivora
– Has canines
– Examples of Carnivora- Coyote, Fox, Skunk,
Raccoon, Bobcat, Mink, Fischer
– Carnivora’s can be both strict carnivores or
omnivores
Station 5
• If given a skull or a pelt be able to identify which
is the Skunk and which is the Raccoon.
• Know that they are both omnivores and
waddlers.
• Know that they are both carnivora’s
• Possible bonus points for correctly spelling the
Genus species of both of these
• The Opossum is also an omnivore and there fore
has carnivorous teeth; but it is Illinois’ only
Marsuplia
Station 6
• If given a skull, pelt and chews be able to identify
which is the Beaver and which is the Muskrat.
• Know that they are both herbivores and waddlers.
• Know that Muskrats make their homes out of reeds
and cattails.
• Know that they are both Rodentia’s
• Know that Beaver’s make their homes out of sticks/logs
• Possible bonus points for correctly spelling the Genus
species of both of these
Station 7
• White tail deer belong to the Order Ungulata,
they have split hooves
• They have no incisors on their upper jaws and
they are straight walkers at a casual pace
• If given an artifact be able to identify it as a white
tail deer and also Ungulata.
• Recognize the track
• Know that they were once extirpated from Illinois
• Possible bonus points for correctly spelling the
Genus species name of Whitetail Deer
Station 8
• If given a skull, pelt or track be able to identify
which is the Coyote and which is the Fox.
• Know that they are both omnivores and
straight walkers during a casual walk.
• Possible bonus points for correctly spelling the
Genus species of both of these
Station 9
• Extirpated- no longer living in an area the
organism was once found, but not extinct.
• Mountain Lions and wolves considered
extirpated, but I predict that will change in the
next couple of years
• Bobcats are found through out Illinois. A
healthy Bobcat population is in Kane County.
Station10
• Otters and Minks belong to Carnivora
• Otters we once extirpated but reintroduced
not long ago and they are doing really well.
• Mink are common through out Illinois
• Both animals love the water and eating
aquatic life. Fish, crayfish, mussels
Station 11
• Ground squirrels like chipmunks are very
common in Illinois.
• Rodentia’s
• Franklin’s Ground Squirrel is on the
Endangered Species list
• All three utilize different habitats so there is
very little competition. Plus, Franklin’s ground
squirrel is an omnivorous rodent which is rare.
Station 12
• If given a scat sample, be able to describe it in scientific
terms
• Define Scatologist and also be able to list some of the
information these scientist can get from scat.
– What the animal is eating
– Diseases present in a population
– Use DNA in order to pinpoint information about individuals
in a population
• If given a scat sample be able to identify if it is a:
– Herbivore- only plant material
– Omnivore- both plant and animal remains
– Carnivore- only animal material
Station 13
• This station simply demonstrated that we are
interested in the possible story; you do not
have to know EXACTLY what happens
• As far as tracking goes know:
– Bounders
• all four feet land in one spot with front feet in front of
back feet.
• Long thin body types with short legs
• Squirrels, minks, fishers
Station 13- Continued
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Hoppers
– Back feet land in front of front feet, like when you played leap frog as a kid
– Short bent bodies, front legs are straight and longer than back legs
– Bunnies
Straight- Walkers
– Legs work diagonally and they tend to put back foot in the same spot as the
front foot
– Long legs, thin body
– Fox, coyote, bobcats, deer
Waddlers
– Each side moves at same time
– Round bodies, short legs
– Raccoon, beaver, bears
– THE mark on the bones were made from rodents chewing the bone. They
chew them to both shorten their continuously growing teeth AND also to
get mineral
Station 14/ 15
• When given a skull, be able to use the
Dichotomous key, caliper and resource
materials to correctly identify the skull. The
skulls will be different species than what you
practiced on.
Additionally
• Know the correct order of the Taxonomic
Classification System
• Know five characteristics of ALL mammals
• Be able to recognize the following skulls and
provide the common name, Order and
possibly the genus species names for bonus
points
– Coyote, Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Opossum, Bats,
Rabbit, Squirrel, Beaver, Muskrat, Bobcat
You can practice:
• Tuesday after school
• Wednesday Morning 7am- you need to get a
pass
• Wednesday After school 3-3:45pm
• Thursday Morning 7am- you need to get a
pass
Also, lunch and study halls