Placental mammals exchange nutrients and gases between the mother and embryo through the placenta. This includes humans and most other mammals. Mammals are divided into groups based on traits like number of toes and diet. Carnivores like bears eat meat but can also consume plants. Cetaceans like whales are carnivorous marine mammals. Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly and feed on insects, fruit, and nectar. Rodents have sharp front teeth and eat plants and wood. Primates like lemurs have complex behaviors and brains unlike other animals. Proboscideans like elephants have trunks.

1. Diversity of Mammals Placental Mammals

2. Placental Mammals In placental mammals, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and wastes are exchanged efficiently between the embryo and mother through the placenta This is the type of animal that human beings along with just about the majority of all mammals belong to

3. Artiodactyls Hoofed mammals with an even number of toes on each foot are Artiodactyls Giraffes along with the rest of the Artiodactyls are grazing animals

4. Carnivores Meat-eating predators are Carnivores Grizzly Bears, like the one showed here, among a few other animals in this family are not completely Carnivorous. When meat is not readily available, they are able to eat plants as well

5. Cetaceans Dolphins and whales, like this Blue Whale, are called Cetaceans Cetaceans are carnivorous marine mammals that live and breed in the ocean coming up to the surface only to breathe

6. Chiropterans The only mammals capable of true flight Bats feed mainly on nectar, insects, and fruit Only three species of Bats feed on the blood of other invertebrates

7. insectivores Insectivores have sharp claws and pointy snouts that help them seek all the insects that they like to eat African Hedgehogs, like the one pictured here, have calm natures and make nice pets

8. Lagomorphs Like Rodents, Lagomorphs are herbivorous. Unlike rodents, they have two pairs of incisor teeth in the upper jaw, and strong back legs which are better adapted for leaping and hopping A great example of Lagomorphs are Rabbits

9. Perissodactyls Hoofed mammals with an odd number of toes are Perissodactyls Among the animals in this family are the Rhinoceros, which are very defensive herbivores who blindly charge at whoever or whatever they feel is a threat to their baby

10. Primates Primates have a highly developed brain and set of complex behaviors unlike any other animal on Earth Ring-Tailed Lemurs, like the one showed here belong to the Primate family as well as Human Beings

11. Proboscideans Mammals with trunks are Proboscideans, like this baby Elephant Many species existed at one time, but now only African and Asian Elephants remain

12. Rodents Capybaras are the largest type of Rodent there is Like all rodents, they have a single pair of long, curved incisor teeth in their upper and lower jaw Rodents love gnawing on wood and other tough plant material

13. Sirenians Sirenians are herbivorous sea mammals, just like these Manatees When Columbus first sailed to America and spotted these animals at sea, they were mistaken for mermaids

14. Xenarthrans Three-Banded Armadillos like the one pictured here are Xenarthians Xenarthians are herbivorous creatures with very simple teeth with no enamel or no teeth at all Three-Banded Armadillos are the only mammal that can perfectly roll itself into a ball

15. Placental Mammals in popular media

16. Not a real animal… but wish they were…