MAMMALS
Mammals
are animals feeding their offsprings with milk produced by specially
developed glands, the masts. They are the most evolved animal
group, having a large brain, well-developed nervous system and
increased intelligence. Their ancestor was a reptile species,
that lived 155 million years ago.
Mammal’s
characteristic is that their body is covered by hairs and it
bears sweat- and sebiferous-glands. The females have mammary
glands, in order to feed the newborns with milk. 
Most
mammals are viviparous. They are also homoiotherms (warm-blooded),
i.e., their body temperature is stable
(36–38°C), regardless air temperature. However, some species
have incomplete body temperature control; in order to avoid
low temperatures and the lack of food during the winter, they
fall into winter sleep in subterranean tunnels or other closed
spaces (overwintering). Other species, mostly tropical,
fall in a state of inertia, known as diapause, mainly
during the summer, in order to avoid high temperatures,
drought and the lack of food. Finally, another phenomenon observed
in some mammal species is migration, during which,
the animals follow a certain route and they always return to
the starting point.
Τhe
smallest mammal on Earth is a talpa
species, with body length 3.1cm, while the biggest mammal is
the blue whale, with 30m length and over 100 tons weight. The
largest terrestrial mammal is the elephant, with 3.5m height
and 7 – 8 tons weight.
Most
mammals are terrestrial, others dig tunnels under the earth’s
surface and live below the ground, while others are aquatic,
arboreal or flying. Most species are nocturnal, but several
are active during the day. They are very social, sometimes forming
dense groups or packs. Mammals are found in the whole Earth’s
surface, except in Antarctica’s biggest part.
Allover
the world, approximately 4,600 species have been identified.
Greece hosts c. 120, several of which are considered rare, threatened
or endemics. On Parnitha 37 mammals are mentioned (Amorgianiotis
& Papika, 1997).
|
Scientific
name
|
Common
name
|
|
Erinaceus
concolor
|
Eastern
European Hedgehog
|
|
Talpa
caeca
|
Mediterranean
Mole
|
|
Crocidura
leucodon
|
Bicolored
Shrew
|
|
Crocidura
suaveolens
|
Lesser
Shrew
|
|
Suncus
etruscus
|
White-toothed
Pygmy Shrew
|
|
Tadarida
teniotis (Tatoi)
|
European
Free-tailed Bat
|
|
Rhinolophus
ferrum-equinum (Tatoi)
|
Greater
Horseshoe Bat
|
|
Rhinolophus
hipposideros (Tatoi)
|
Lesser
Horseshoe Bat
|
|
Rhinolophus
blasii (Tatoi)
|
Blasius’s
Horseshoe Bat
|
|
Eptesicus
serotinus (Tatoi)
|
Serotine
|
|
Myotis
blythii (Tatoi)
|
Mouse-eared
Bat
|
|
Myotis
emarginatus (Tatoi)
|
Geoffrey’s
Bat
|
|
Myotis
myotis (Tatoi)
|
Greater
Mouse-eared Bat
|
|
Nyctalus
leisleri (Tatoi)
|
Leisler’s
Bat
|
|
Pipistrellus
pipistrellus (Tatoi)
|
Soprano
Pipistrelle
|
|
Hypsugo
savii (Tatoi)
|
Savi’s
Pipistrelle
|
|
Plecotus
auritus (Tatoi)
|
Long-eared
Bat
|
|
Lepus
europaeus
|
Hare
|
|
Sciurus
vulgaris
|
Eurasian
Red Squirrel
|
|
Dryomys
nitedula
|
Forest
Dormice
|
|
Glis
glis
|
Edible
dormouse
|
|
Spalax
leucodon
|
Lesser
Mole Rat
|
|
Cricetulus
migratorius
|
Grey
Dwarf Hamster
|
|
Microtus
guentheri
|
Guenther’s
Vole
|
|
Microtus
savii
|
Savi’s
Pine Vole
|
|
Apodemus
mystacinus
|
Broad-toothed
Field Mouse
|
|
Apodemus
sylvaticus
|
Wood
Mouse
|
|
Apodemus
flavicolis
|
Yellow-necked
Mouse
|
|
Rattus
ratus
|
Black
Rat
|
|
Rattus
norvegicus
|
Norway
Rat
|
|
Mus
domesticus
|
House
Mouse
|
|
Vulpes
vulpes
|
Red
fox
|
|
Mustela
nivalis
|
Common
weasel
|
|
Martes
foina
|
Beech
marten
|
|
Meles
meles
|
Badger
|
|
Cervus
elaphus
|
Red
deer
|
|
Capra aegagrus cretica
|
Cretan wild goat (not native to Parnitha)
|
