Figure 14.19: A Labrador Retriever working as an assistance dog. ( 17 )Ecologically, nectar-feeding and fruit-eating bats (Figure14.20) play an important role in
plant pollination and seed dispersal, respectively. Can you think of a type of bird that has
a similar ecological role?
Mammals are also the only animal group that has made a complete transition to aquatic
habitats. Some, suchascetaceans(whales, dolphinsandporpoises)haveundergoneprofound
adaptations for swimming and life, even reproduction, in the water. Cetaceans depend on
water for mechanical support and thermal insulation. Because they are buoyed by their
aquatic environment, whales have evolved into the largest mammals and the largest animals
ever recorded.
Micro-Lab: Matching Adaptations of Teeth and Limbs in
Mammals with their respective Diets and Habitats
Estimated time: 15 minutes
Materials:
- Tray of actual, or illustrations of, various mammal teeth, numbered, and Pictures of
animals eating:- Incisors – cutting and nipping (herbivores, like cows, have well-developed incisors for
cutting grass)
- Incisors – cutting and nipping (herbivores, like cows, have well-developed incisors for