Mammal

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Mammal (/'mæməl/)

A mammal is any member of the animal class Mammalia (/məˈmeɪliə/), a group of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for the nourishment of young; the presence of hair or fur; and which have a neocortex (a region of the brain). The word "mammal" is modern, from the scientific name Mammalia coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, derived from the Latin mamma ("teat, pap").

Etymology

The word "mammal" is derived from the Latin word "mamma" which means "breast". This is in reference to the mammary glands of mammals that produce milk for their young.

Related Terms

  • Vertebrate: An animal of a large group distinguished by the possession of a backbone or spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.
  • Mammary gland: The milk-producing gland of women or other female mammals.
  • Neocortex: The part of the cerebral cortex concerned with sight and hearing in mammals, regarded as the most recently evolved part of the cortex.
  • Milk: A white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals to nourish their young.
  • Fur: The hair covering the skin of many mammals.

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