Rikunarita-ORG/Wikinium huggingface dataset:
# Euarchontoglires

| Euarchontoglires Temporal range: Upper Cretaceous – Recent |
| --- |
|  |
| Ring-tailed Lemurs (*Lemur catta*) |
| Scientific classification  |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| *Clade*: | Eutheria |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Magnorder: | Boreoeutheria |
| Superorder: | Euarchontoglires |
| Orders |
|
See text |

**Euarchontoglires** (synonymous with **Supraprimates**) is a taxonomic superorder, within Placentalia. It includes the rodents and the primates.

Placentalia (Eutheria)

* Afrotheria
* Exafroplacentalia
	+ Xenarthra
	+ Boreoeutheria
		- Laurasiatheria
		- Euarchontoglires

## Orders

* Glires
	+ - Rodentia - rodents
		- Lagomorpha - rabbits, hares and pikas
* Euarchonta
	+ Dermoptera - colugos
	+ Primatomorpha
		- Scandentia - treeshrews
		- Primates - monkeys, apes and humans
# Incisor

The incisors are the four middle teeth at the top, and the four middle teeth at the bottom.
**Incisors** are special kinds of teeth that can be found in some mammals, such as humans. They are the eight large flat teeth with straight edges that are at the front of a person's mouth, in between the canine teeth, which are pointed. The straight edges of the *incisors* are useful for biting because they cut sharply. They come together like a pair of pincers. In a human, the two teeth at the middle of each jaw are called the "central incisors", and the side ones are the "lateral incisors". (lateral means "to the side"). Some humans never grow "lateral incisors" or have very small ones, particularly at the top.

In many mammalian herbivores (plant-eaters) these front teeth are used to cut off stems of grass and other growing things, that are then ground up by the molars at the back of the mouth. Some omnivores (animals that eat both plants and meat), like humans, have incisors like herbivores. In carnivores (meat-eating mammals) like cats, the incisors are often quite small. The canine teeth are long and suitable for grasping and stabbing. Carnivores use their incisors for many jobs that need find control, such as catching fleas, carrying a kitten or peeling the skin off a fish. If a dog or a member of the cat family needs to cut something with their teeth, they use their back teeth like scissors.

## Gallery

* Cats have long canine teeth and small incisors.
* The incisors of rats, mice and other rodents never stop growing.
* Herbivores like horses have teeth that can cut grass.
* Dogs use their incisors for many things.

## Related pages

* Dentition
# Lagomorpha

| Lagomorphs Temporal range: Eocene – Recent |
| --- |
|  |
| Pika, *Ochotona princeps*, in Sequoia National Park |
| Scientific classification |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Eutheria |
| Superorder: | Euarchontoglires |
| Order: | **Lagomorpha** Brandt, 1855 |
| Families |
|
Leporidae
Ochotonidae
Prolagidae (extinct) |

The European hare (*Lepus europaeus*).
**Lagomorpha** is a mammal order. It includes pikas, rabbits and hares. Although lagomorphs look like rodents, they are not rodents, but are closely related to them. They have four incisors on the upper jaw, not two as with rodents. Also, they only eat plant material, not meat as rodents do to some extent.

Rabbits were classified under rodents until the 20th century. They are divided into two families: Leporidae, which are hares and rabbits, and Ochotonidae, the pikas.

It has been known for some time that Lagomorpha is an unusual group, and there have been many guesses about its evolution. Darren Naish explains this.

## Taxonomy

* Order **Lagomorpha**
	+ Family **Ochotonidae** (Pikas)
		- Genus *Ochotona*
	+ Family **Leporidae** (rabbits and hares)
		- Genus *Brachylagus*
		- Genus *Bunolagus*
		- Genus *Caprolagus*
		- Genus *Lepus*
		- Genus *Nesolagus*
		- Genus *Oryctolagus* (includes the domestic rabbit)
		- Genus *Pentalagus*
		- Genus *Poelagus*
		- Genus *Pronolagus*
		- Genus *Romerolagus*
		- Genus *Sylvilagus*
# Monogamy

**Monogamy** (Greek: μονός+γάμος; *monos+gamos* meaning *one+marriage*) is a form of marriage in which a person or animal has only one spouse at any one time.

## Etymology

The word *monogamy* comes from the Greek words "μονός", *monos* which means one or alone, and "γάμος", *gamos* which means marriage.

## Religion

Monogamy is one of the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity. An exception is the fundamentalist branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who strictly follow the teachings of founder Joseph Smith. Smith allowed polygamy, and had many wives. In Jewish and Christian doctrine, marriage is between one husband and one wife, which is monogamy.

## Law

In most countries, monogamy is the only legal form of marriage, either between a man and a woman in most of these countries, and between two persons of the same gender (gay marriage) in some of the Western world.
In these countries polygamy is illegal, and a person who has more than one spouse can be prosecuted for bigamy.

## Historical angle

Polygamy without equality was almost universal in ancient human tribes. By "without equality" is meant that of the wives only one would have full rights and recognition as the main wife.

The fact is that all societies of which we have good records lost men disproportionately, mainly because of warfare, but also accidents in hunting. This left widows who were not responsible for being widows: they were just unlucky.

It might be thought that this would be counter-balanced by loss of females during child-birth, but apparently not so.
A full appreciation of this fact needs to take into account:

1. On the one hand, the absence of modern medical technology, and
2. The well-known fact that earlier societies had younger mothers.
3. The life expectancy in prehistoric times was low, 25–40 years, and with men living longer than women; archaeological evidence of women and babies found together suggests that many women would have died in childbirth.
# Promiscuity

**Promiscuity** is the practice of having casual sex frequently with different partners. In cultures where sexual activity happens only in exclusive committed relationships, promiscuity is criticized as a bad activity. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous is a one-night stand.

What sexual behavior is considered promiscuous varies between cultures, as does the frequency of promiscuity. A study published in 2005 found that promiscuous men and women are judged equally harshly. A recent poll showed that both genders tend to express strong preference for sexually conservative partners. However, later studies show evidence for a double standard.

Promiscuity is common in many animal species. Some species have promiscuous mating systems, ranging from polyandry and polygyny to mating systems with no stable relationships. Many species form stable pair bonds, but still mate with other individuals outside the pair.
# Cosmopolitan distribution

In biology, an organism is said to be **cosmopolitan** (or **cosmopolite**) if it can be found almost anywhere on the Earth.

Examples include:

* Humans
* House dust mite
* Red admiral (painted lady butterfly)
* Many cetacean species, including the orca
* Brown rat
* Killer whale
* Peregrine falcon

## Related pages

* Biogeography
* Endemic
# Guinea pig

| Guinea pig |
| --- |
|  |
| Two adult guinea pigs |
| Conservation status |
| Domesticated  |
| Scientific classification  |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Caviidae |
| Genus: | *Cavia* |
| Species: | C. porcellus |
| Binomial name |
| Cavia porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Synonyms |
| * *Mus porcellus*
* *Cavia cobaya*
* *Cavia anolaimae*
* *Cavia cutleri*
* *Cavia leucopyga*
* *Cavia longipilis*
 |

**Guinea pigs** (*Cavia porcellus*) are a kind of rodent. They are not pigs and are not from Guinea. The reason for why this is the name is unclear. They are also called cavies. They are domesticated animals which originated in the Andes.

Studies on biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are descendants of a closely related species of cavy. They do not occur naturally in the wild.

## Guinea pigs as pets

In many parts of the world, people keep them as pets. In Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and several other countries, they are raised for food. The first people who domesticated the animals, did it for food. Besides being a pet and a source of food, in some places people think guinea pigs keep bad spirits away. In Quechua, the language of some the native tribes of Peru, they are called **quivi**. The Spanish-speaking people of the region call them *cuy* (plural: *cuyes*).

## Name

This perception of pigginess occurred in many languages other than English; the German word for them is *Meerschweinchen*, literally "little sea pigs" (sailing ships stopping to reprovision in the New World would pick up stores of guinea pigs, which provided an easily transportable source of fresh meat), the Russian and Polish word for them is similar, "morskaya svinka" (Морская свинка) and "świnka morska" respectively, meaning also "little sea pig" (it comes from archaic use of the word to mean "overseas"). However, this perception of pigginess is not universal to all languages or cultures. For example, the common Spanish term is 'conejillo de Indias' (Indian bunny rabbit).

## Housing and breeding guinea pigs

Guinea pigs need large open air cages in which to romp and frolic. They should have a diet of 1/8 cup of high quality grass-based guinea-pig pellets daily, as per manufacturer’s instructions. They should also have unlimited grass hay, which keeps their teeth trimmed, and at least one cup of a variety of veggies. Guinea pigs like to be held in hand.
Guinea pigs should be kept in cages larger than 7.5 square feet or 10.5 square feet for 2 pigs. They should always have at least one friend as guinea pigs are social animals.
Breeding guinea pigs are not recommended as the rate of pregnancy complications is high.

For their diet guinea pigs generally prefer hay, fresh fruits and vegetables.

## Other uses of the term

Guinea pig is also slang for a person who is the first to try something. It can also mean the subject of an experiment. This is because guinea pigs are used by biologists as model organisms.
# Hamster

| Hamster Temporal range: Middle Miocene–Current |
| --- |
|  |
| Campbell's dwarf hamster |
| Scientific classification  |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Cricetinae Fischer de Waldheim, 1817 |
| Genera |
| *Mesocricetus*
*Phodopus*
*Cricetus*
*Cricetulus*
*Allocricetulus*
*Cansumys*
*Tscherskia* |

**Hamsters** are small rodents belonging to the subfamily **Cricetinae**. This group has about 25 species in six or seven genera. They have become established as popular small house pets. They are a bit like a mouse. Wild hamsters live in the desert, but people all over the world keep domesticated hamsters as pets.

In the wild, hamsters are crepuscular and stay underground during the day. They feed on seeds, fruits, and vegetation, and occasionally eat burrowing insects. Hamsters are distinguished by their large cheek pouches, and relatively short tail. They use their long cheek pouches, extending to their shoulders, to carry food back to their burrows.

Even though the Syrian hamster or golden hamster (*Mesocricetus auratus*) was first described scientifically by George Robert Waterhouse in 1839, researchers were not able to successfully breed and domesticate hamsters until 1939.

## Hamsters as pets

There are six main types of domestic hamsters: the Syrian hamster (the kind most people have as pets), winter whites, campbells, the Russian dwarf hamster (a hybrid of winter white and Campbell's dwarf hamsters), the Chinese hamster, and the Roborovski hamster. Unlike other species, the Chinese hamster has a long tail. All pet Syrian hamsters are the descendants of 12 baby hamsters found in Syria in 1930.

Pet hamsters need cages with safe bedding, like wood shavings or recycled newspaper. Pine or cedar shavings are harmful to hamsters. Plain toilet paper is also a cheap, safe option, but straw should only be given in small amounts. Hamsters eat mostly hamster food sold at a pet shop, but they can also eat many vegetables and fruits in small portions. Hamsters store food in natural pouches in the sides of their mouths.

Because they are rodents, hamster incisors grow constantly. They need wooden blocks and hard food to wear the teeth down and prevent them from getting too long. Most hamsters also have a wheel to run on for exercise. A 6-inch (15 cm) wheel is recommended for most dwarf hamsters, and at least an eight-inch (20 cm) wheel for Syrians. If the wheel is too small, the hamster's spine can become bent. Some people get other kinds of exercise equipment for their hamsters, like a "hamster ball" in which the hamster can roll around the floor (though these are not recommended by some animal welfare groups), or a long network of tubes with air holes for hamsters to crawl through. They should live in a tank or cage. Hamsters are not recommended for young children.
# Hare

| *Lepus timidus* (European hare) |
| --- |
|  |
| *Young Hare*, a watercolour by the master Albrecht Dürer, 1512 |
| Scientific classification |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Lepus Linnaeus, 1758 |

Hares are fast runners over grassland
Snowshoe hare in winter coat
A **hare** (*Lepus*), also known as a **jackrabbit**, is a mammal of the order Lagomorpha, in the same family as the rabbit. They are larger than rabbits and have black tipped ears. Their diet (the food they eat) resembles what rabbits eat; they eat ruttabaga and lettuce. They graze on grass and leafy weeds.

Hares are very fast-running animals. The European brown hare (*Lepus europaeus*) runs at speeds up to 56 km/h (35 mph). The five species of hare found in central and western North America can run at 64 km/h (40 mph), and can leap up to 3m (ten feet) at a time. They live solitarily or in pairs; "a drove" is the name for a group of hares.

## Mating season

Normally a shy animal, they change their behaviour in spring, when hares chase one another around meadows. This may be competition between males to attain dominance (and hence more access to breeding females). During this spring frenzy, hares can be seen "boxing"; one hare striking another with its paws (probably the origin of the term "mad as a March hare"). For a long time, this was thought to be intermale competition, but closer observation has shown it is usually a female hitting a male to prevent copulation. When a doe is ready to mate, she runs across the countryside, starting a chase that tests the stamina of the following males. When only the fittest male remains, the female stops and allows him to copulate.

## Snowshoe hare

This is a species of hare found in cold climates in North America. As with the Arctic fox, its hair is white in winter, and brown in the summer. These are different morphs. This ability gives it camouflage, which it needs because it is the favourite food of the Canadian lynx.
# Rabbit

| RabbitTemporal range: Late Eocene – Holocene,  |
| --- |
|  |
| European rabbit (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) |
| Scientific classification |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Included genera |
| * *Pentalagus*
* *Bunolagus*
* *Nesolagus*
* *Romerolagus*
* *Brachylagus*
* *Sylvilagus*
* *Oryctolagus*
* *Poelagus*
 |

**Rabbits** and **bunnies** are mammals of the order Lagomorpha. There are about fifty different species of rabbits and hares. The order Lagomorpha is made of rabbits, pikas and hares. Rabbits can be found in many parts of the world. They live in families and eat vegetables and hay. In the wild, rabbits live in burrows, that they dig themselves. A group of rabbits living together in a burrow is called a warren. Rabbits are famous for hopping and eating carrots.

A male rabbit is called a **buck**, and a female is called a **doe**. A baby rabbit is called a **kit**, which is short for kitten. Rabbits have a gestation period of around 31 days. The female can have up to 12-13 kits, very rarely litters as big as 18 and as small as one. When the doe gives birth her babies are collectively referred to as a litter. Some people have rabbits as pets. Rabbits are also raised for their meat. Rabbits are of a different biological classification than hares.

Since rabbits are prey animals, they are careful in open spaces. If they sense danger, they freeze and watch. Rabbit vision has a very wide field, including overhead scanning. Their predators are foxes, wolves, coyotes, cougars, lynxes, cats, dogs, bears, raccoons, skunks, weasels, badgers, snakes, and birds of prey. People are also known to shoot rabbits, because they eat crops. Their escape method is to run for their burrow, where they are usually safe.

Rabbits have a complex social structure and, like dogs, they have a hierarchy. Rabbit ears probably have several functions. The main function is to give warning of predators, but they may be used for signalling, and temperature regulation.

A rabbit walking in the pet park
## Rabbits as pets

In the wild, rabbits have plenty to keep them occupied, from foraging to reproduction to territorial defence. Captive rabbits, on the other hand, often lack stimulation. This can lead to behavioural problems and poor health. Pet rabbits often live eight to twelve years.
# Laurasia

**Laurasia** was a supercontinent. It had been the northern part of the Pangaea global supercontinent. Pangaea split into Laurasia and Gondwana to the south during the Jurassic period.

Laurasia included most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the northern hemisphere, chiefly Laurentia (the name given to the North American craton), Europe, Scandinavia, western Russia, Siberia, Kazakhstan, and China.

Laurasia's name combines the names of Laurentia and Eurasia.

Although Laurasia is known as a Mesozoic phenomenon, today it is believed that the same continents that formed Laurasia also existed as a coherent continent after the breakup of Rodinia around 1 billion years ago. To avoid confusion with Laurasia, that continent is referred to as **Proto-Laurasia**.
# Pet

A **pet** is a domesticated animal that lives with people, but is not forced to work and is not eaten, in most instances. In most cases, a pet is kept to entertain people or for companionship. Some pets such as dogs and cats are placed in an animal shelter if there is no one willing to take care of them. If no one adopts it or the pet is too old/sick, the pet may be euthanized or in some cases even abandoned.

Dogs, cats, fish, rodents, lagomorphs, ferrets, birds, certain reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of arthropods such as tarantulas and hermit crabs are the most common pets in North America. Horses, elephants, oxen, and donkeys are usually made to work, so they are not usually called pets. Some dogs also do work for people, and it was once common for some birds (like falcons and carrier pigeons) to work for humans.

Rodents are very popular pets. The most common are guinea pigs, hamsters (especially Syrian and dwarf hamsters), mice and rats. Rabbits are also very popular pets.

Bloomberg Intelligence estimated that the pet care market across the world was worth $320 billion in 2024 and growing rapidly.

## Common pets

| Image | Name |
| --- | --- |
|  | Dog (member of Canines) |
|  | Cat (member of Felines) |
|  | Goldfish (member of Fishes) |
|  | Mouse (member of Rodents) |
|  | Rabbit (member of Lagomorphs) |
|  | Hamster (member of Rodents) |
|  | Guinea pig (member of Rodents) |
|  | Parrot (member of Birds) |

## Related pages

* Domestication

2. Calico Cats Breed Archived 2024-08-21 at the Wayback Machine