CARNIVORA. 



753 



(i) .ELUROIDEA (2) CYXOIDEA 



e.g. cat, civet, hyasna. e.g. dog, fox, wolf, jackal. 



(3) ARCTOIDEA 

 e.g. bear, otter. 



Digitigrade. 



Typical dentition, - 



312: 



Digitigrade. 



O T J O 



Typical dentition, - - 



Plantigrade or 

 plantigrade. 



sub- 



I 4 2_ 



3M3 



Typical dentition, 



3*43 



The tympanic bulla is The tympanic bulla is The tympanic bulla is 



much dilated, 

 rounded, and thin- 

 walled, and is divided 

 into two chambers 

 by an internal septum 

 (except in Hyaenidae). 



dilated, but the in- 

 ternal septum is 

 rudimentary. 



often depressed, and 

 there is no hint of an 

 internal septum. 



The paroccipital pro- The paroccipital pro- The paroccipital pro- 

 cess of the exocci- cess is in contact cess is quite apart 

 pital is applied to the with the bulla, but from the bulla. 

 hinder part of the ! it is prominent, 

 tympanic bulla. 



The caecum is small, 

 rarely absent. 



The caecum is some- 

 times short and 

 simple, sometimes 

 long and peculiarly 

 folded. 



The caecum is absent. 



Digitigrade animals walk on their toes only ; plantigrade forms rest 

 the whole sole of the foot on the ground ; but between these conditions 

 there are all possible gradations. Many Carnivores are sub-plantigrade, 

 often when at rest applying the whole of the sole to the ground, but 

 keeping the heel raised to a greater or less extent when walking. 



(i) .ELUROIDEA Cat-like Carnivores. 



P'amily Felidae, including the most specialised forms. The canines 

 are large, the molars are reduced to -, the carnassials are the 



last premolars above (with a three - lobed blade), and the 

 molars beneath (with a two-lobed blade). The tuberculated 

 upper molars are very small, and of little if any use in 

 mastication. The skull is generally rounded, the zygomatic 

 arches are wide and strong, and the tympanic bulla; are large 

 and smooth. The limbs are digitigrade, the claws retractile. 

 There is no alisphenoid canal. The dentition of the typical 



genus Felis is - 3r . The cats are the most specialised of all Car- 

 3121 



nivores, and are exclusively adapted for a flesh diet. The 

 sharp claws and pointed canines form powerful offensive 

 48 



