Carnivora: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. While the Giant Panda is an herbivore, nearly all others eat meat as their primary diet item: some (like the cat family) almost exclusively, others (like the bears and foxes) are more omnivorous. Members of Carnivora have a characteristic skull shape, and their dentition includes prominent canines and carnassials.

• ORDER CARNIVORA
  • Suborder Fissipedia
    • Family Canidae: dogs and allies; 35 species in 10 genera
    • Family Procyonidae: raccoons and allies; 19 species in 7 genera
    • Family Ursidae: bears; 8 species in 5 genera
    • Family Mustelidae weasels, ferrets, badgers, and otters; 55 species in 24 genera
    • Family Mephitidae skunks; 10 species in 3 genera
    • Family Felidae: cats; 37 species in 4 genera
    • Family Viverridae: civets and allies; 35 species in 20 genera
    • Family Herpestidae: mongooses and allies; 35 speces in 17 genera
    • Family Hyaenidae: hyenas and Aardwolf; 4 species in 4 genera
  • Suborder Pinnipedia (most authorities list the pinnipeds within Carnivora; others list them as a separate order)
    • Superfamily Otarioidae: walrus and eared seals
      • Family Otariidae: eared seals; 14 species in 7 genera
      • Family Odobenidae: Walrus
    • Superfamily Phocoidae: true seals
      • Family Phocidae: true seals; 19 species in 10 genera