Short-tailed Gymnure (Hylomys sp.), family Erinaceidae, order Eulipotyphla, Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

The gymnures/moonrats are in the same order as hedgehogs, moles, and shrews.

photograph by Nick Volpe Wildlife Photography

Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), family Vespertilionidae, found in much of the United States and Canada

ENDANGERED.

photograph by Michael Durham Bat Conservation International

Gundi (Ctenodactylus gundi), family Ctenodactylidae, found in northern Africa

photographs by Threedots and Manfred M.

Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus), family Corvidae, order Passeriformes, sitting on top of a Javelina (Dicotyles tajacu), family Tayassuidae, South, TX, USA

photograph by Steve Hillebrand U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) male, Bovidae, India

Photograph by Pratik Bhatt

You might know about wombats, but what about numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus)? These Australian marsupials are picky eaters with a taste for termites. Using their long tongues, these specialists can slurp down 20,000 of the insects in a single day! Unlike many mammals, the numbat’s mouth is filled with dull, peg-like teeth. But that doesn’t stop this critter, because it doesn’t chew its food anyway.

Photo: seashalia, CC0 Content, Pixabay

Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), family Manidae, order Pholidota, Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Vulnerable, due to habitat destruction and overhunting/harvesting for meat.

Feed on ants and termites.

The order Pholidota contains only pangolins.

photograph by Piotr Naskrecki

Research alert! New insights into mammalian tooth, jaw, and ear evolution, gleaned from analyzing fossils of two Jurassic-era mammal species from China, are reshaping how scientists think about early mammals. This research, led by scientists at the Museum and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, focuses on two new species of fossil mammals—Feredocodon chowi and Dianoconodon youngi—that offer new evidence about early mammalian evolution.

“Scientists have been trying to understand how the mammalian middle ear evolved since Darwin’s time,” said Jin Meng, a curator in the Museum’s Division of Paleontology and a corresponding author on both papers. “These new fossils bring to light a critical missing link and enrich our understanding of the gradual evolution of the mammalian middle ear.”

Check out our latest blog post to learn more!

Image: Chuang Zhao

Moose (Alces alces), juvenile, piebald coloration, family Cervidae, eastern Norway

photographed by Thomas Morch ᴍøʀᴄʜ ғᴏᴛᴏ 🇳🇴 (@m0rch)

American Marten (Martes americana), family Mustelidae, Alberta, Canada

The American and Pine Martens were once thought to be one species, but have been split apart, because of genetic and anatomical differences.

Some people still refer to the North American population as "Pine Martens", however.

photograph by Korban Schwab

American Pika (Ochotona princeps), family Ochotonidae, order Lagomorpha, Lassen Volcanic National Park, northern CA, USA

Photograph by National Park Service

Patagonian Mara (Dolichotis patagonum), family Caviidae, Valdes Peninsula, Patagonia

These fast, large rodents are the size of a medium sized dog, 75 cm (30 in) long, and 16 kg (35 lb).

photograph by Jason Hollinger

Tayra (Eira barbara), male, family Mustelidae, Costa Rica

photograph by Ben Tropical Birding Tours

Tayra (Eira barbara), family Mustelidae, Brazil

photograph by Ninahale 

Mountain Cottontail or Nuttall's Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii), family Leporidae, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, USA

photograph by NPS Photo/Schonlau

Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus), family Ursidae, found in SE Asia

photograph by John Quine

Ribbon Seal (Histriophoca fasciata), family Phocidae, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Alaska

photograph by Josh London