|
The Carnivore family, or carnivora is an order of placental mammals that have specialized in primarily eating flesh, whose members are formally referred to as carnivorans. The order Carnivora is the fifth largest order of mammals, comprising at least 279 species.
Carnivorans live on every major landmass and in a variety of habitats, ranging from the cold polar regions to the hyper-arid region of the Sahara Desert to the open seas. They come in a very large array of different body plans with a wide diversity of shapes and sizes.
Etymology
The word carnivore is derived from two Latin words: carn meaning flesh, and vorare meaning to devour and thus refers to any meat eating organism.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
16 Families, 127 Genera, 296 species.
Sub-Order:
Feliformia
Families
Euplerdae [Malagasy carnivorans, 7 genera, 10 species];
Felidae [cats, 15 genus, 41 species];
Herpestidae [mongooses, 14 genera,33 species];
Hyaenidae [hyenas and aardwolf, 3 genera, 4 species];
Nandiniidae [Afican palm civit, 1 genera, 1 species];
Prionodontidae [Asiatic linsangs, 1 genus, 2 species];
Viverridae [civets, 15 genera, 34 species].
Sub-Order:
Caniformia
Families
Ailuridae [red panda, 1 genus, 1 species];
Canidae [dogs, foxes, jackals, wolves, 13 genera, 36 species];
Mephitidae [skunks and stink badgers, 4 genera, 12 species];
Mustelidae [mink, weasels, 22 genera, 57 species];
Odobenidae [walrus, 1 genus, 1 species];
Otariidae [eared seals, 7 genera, 15 species];
Phocidae [true seals, 13 genera, 18 species];
Procyonidae [raccoons, 6 genera, 14 species];
Ursidea [bears, 5 genera, 8 species, numerous subspecies]
| 
