Orders of placental mammals

Question

What are the major orders of placental mammals? Describe some representative species and distinguishing characteristics of each of such orders?

Answer 1

The orders into which placental mammals are classified are as following: Artiodactyls, mammals with an even number of fingers in paws or claws like, example: giraffes, cows and sheep. Carnivorous, predators with canine teeth such as dogs, lions and tigers. Cetaceans, aquatic animals with no posterior limbs and identical to fishes, such as dolphins and whales. Edentates, creatures with rare or missing teeth, such as sloths, armadillos and anteaters. Lagomorphs, small-sized mammals containing three pairs of continuously growing incisive teeth specialized in gnawing, such as hares and rabbits. Perissodactyls, also termed as ungulates (or hooved), big-sized animals with an odd number of fingers in each paw, example: rhinos and horses. Primates, characterized by big cranium and well-developed brain, such as apes and humans. Proboscideans, big-sized animals whose nose and superior lip form the trunk (or snout), example: elephants. Chiropterans, flying nocturnal mammals (or bats). Rodents, animals with two pairs of constantly growing incisive teeth, example: mice, rats, squirrels and castors. Sirenians, aquatic mammals of fresh-water, deprived of posterior limbs, such as manatees and dugongs.