An example of insectivorous animals. Which animals are insectivorous

Everyone knows that, according to the scientific classification, the kingdom of animals is divided into types, they, in turn, - into classes, and the last - to the detachments. The most common and known animals since childhood, such as cats, dogs, horses and others, are mammals. This class, in turn, belongs to the Chordovye type.

Classification of mammals

Among this class there are two subclasses and twenty-one detachments. The first subclass is one-pass. These include the platypus and echidna. Feature of these animals is that they do not give birth to the young, and lay eggs, but the offspring, which of them appears, are fed with milk. Representatives of the second subclass - viviparous - are divided into marsupials (lower) and placental (higher), the latter are the remaining nineteen orders. These are pinnipeds, bats, carnivores, cetaceans, incomplete teeth, damans, sirens, proboscens, artiodactyls, tubular tooths, ungulates, woolly foxes, rodents, mozolenogues, dinosaurs, lagiformes, primates and insectivores. Here last us also interest. Today we will talk about what are insectivorous animals. Examples, names and basic habits of these mammals will also be discussed in our article.

Brief description of the detachment

The vital organs of the representatives of this group retained the primitive traits that were inherent in the ancient animals. Thus, the cerebral hemispheres of the insectivorous almost do not contain convolutions, the skull has an elongated shape, the teeth are sharp, knobby, they are difficult to divide into groups. Most animals that belong to this group are small in size, the skin is represented by short, soft hairs or short thorns, the feet have five fingers. Many of these creatures are mostly nocturnal, but some are active during the day. From the name of the detachment it is clear that the basis of their diet is composed of various insects.

Representatives of

Not everyone knows which animals are insectivorous. The names of them, meanwhile, are known to us from childhood. Although there are also unfamiliar species, which we will also talk about a little later. In the meantime, let us dwell on the "old comrades".

Jerzy

The most famous and common example of insectivorous animals is hedgehog. This family has 14 species. By the way, the hedgehog is an example of insectivorous animals, the skin of which is spines, not wool. In addition to the common (or European) hedgehog, which we can often see, say, in the country, there are also South African, eared, Indian, Chinese, dark-headed, Ethiopic, Amur, collar and others. Individuals that live in hot terrain, have a large size of ears. In such conditions, the latter perform the function of body temperature regulators. Therefore, almost all animals living in the desert have large ears. Usually hedgehogs are more active at night. Their diet consists of a variety of insects, worms, which they find in the ground. Also, animals can eat frogs, mice and even vipers, the poison of which almost does not affect them. It is a mistake to think that hedgehogs eat apples and other fruits - they string them on needles to get rid of fleas and other parasites due to the acid contained in the juice. In winter, these animals, like many insectivores, go into hibernation.

Moles

A mole is also a vivid example of insectivorous animals. These representatives of mammals have many characteristic features of this class, but there are also distinctive features. Skin mole cover, in contrast to the hedgehogs discussed above, is presented in the form of a short dark coat. The front paws of these animals are quite specific for insectivorous species - they are enlarged, they have long claws, as they are designed for easy digging of the earth. Moles live in the ground, where they arrange holes for themselves with numerous nests and tunnels. Here it is convenient for them to find food in the form of earthworms, larvae of various insects, etc. Another feature of the mole is the underdeveloped eyes - since it lives underground, they do not really need it; The main sense organ is the nose.

Shrews

Talking about what animals are insectivorous, you need to mention them. Each of us at least once heard about this funny little animal. It is as common on the Eurasian continent as the "brethren" described above. There are these animals almost everywhere except Australia, South America and the Antarctic. These are small creatures, covered with a fleecy fur, active at any time of the day. They eat, of course, insects and ... other small animals that are found in the ground, which is clear from their name. Sometimes they also eat seeds. To the shrews family are shrews and white teeth. They are of great benefit, like hedgehogs, destroying many harmful insects.

Little-known representatives of this group

And now let's talk about those representatives of the detachment we are considering, which not everyone knows, so to speak, in person (well, or in the face). So, which animals are insectivorous? For example, the family is tenacious. These creatures are very similar to hedgehogs, before they were even ranked among the same family. Tenreki live in Madagascar and the Comoros. This is a very ancient family of insectivores, whose representatives are known since the Cretaceous period. They, as well as hedgehogs, have spines, usually of dark color. Some species have yellow spots on them. An interesting feature of these animals is the extremely low metabolism and absolutely low body temperature, which is usually not typical of mammals.

Another interesting and little-known to ordinary people is a crack. These are insectivorous animals, which are quite large in size. Their habitat is Cuba and Haiti. They look like big shrews or in rats, but they have longer legs and, unlike rats, have a longer snout like a proboscis. It is interesting that the cleft belongs to a few poisonous mammals, the poison is excreted by the gland, the duct of which is located on the lower jaw. Listed in the Red Book.

The jumper is also an example of insectivorous animals. Most of all, he resembles a jerboa, but lives in Africa. The basis of his diet consists of termites, other insects, seeds, small fruits.

The smallest mammal in the territory of the CIS countries

This can rightfully be called a tiny shrew, which also belongs to the detachment considered in this article. Its dimensions are about 4-5 cm (along with the tail), and the weight is only 2-4 grams.