Mammalia in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae

Updated on Nov 13, 2023

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In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae (published 1758–1759), Carl Linnaeus described the Mammalia as one of the six classes of animals, characterized by being:

Animals that suckle their young by means of lactiferous teats. In external and internal structure they resemble man: most of them are quadrupeds; and with man, their natural enemy, inhabit the surface of the Earth. The largest, though fewest in number, inhabit the ocean.

Linnaean Characteristics

Heart: 2 auricles, 2 ventricles. Warm, dark red blood

Lungs: respires alternately

Jaw: incombent, covered. Teeth usually within

Teats: lactiferous

Organs of Sense: tongue, nostrils, eyes, ears, & papillae of the skin

Covering: hair, which is scanty in warm climates, hardly any on aquatics

Supports: 4 feet, except in aquatics; and in most a tail. Walks on the Earth & Speaks

Linnaeus divided the mammals based upon the number, situation, and structure of their teeth.

Primates

Fore-teeth: cutting, upper 4 parallel, (except in some species of bats which have 2 or none)

Tusks: solitary, that is, one on each side, in each jaw

Teats: 2 pectoral

Feet: 2 are hands

Nails: (usually) flattened, oval

Food: fruits, except a few who use animal food

Homo (humans)

Homo sapiens – human

Homo troglodytes – partly based on myth, partly on orangutans

Simia (monkeys & apes)

Simia satyrus – Bornean orangutan & common chimpanzee

Simia sylvanus – Barbary macaque

Simia sphinx – mandrill

Simia apedia – nomen dubium

Simia silenus – lion-tailed macaque

Simia faunus & Simia diana – Diana monkey

Simia paniscus – red-faced spider monkey

Simia cephus – moustached guenon

Simia aygula – nomen oblitum for the crab-eating macaque

Simia hamadryas – hamadryas baboon

Simia jacchus – common marmoset

Simia oedipus – cottontop tamarin

Simia aethiops – grivet

Simia midas – red-handed tamarin

Simia cynamolgus – possibly crab-eating macaque

Simia apella – tufted capuchin

Simia morta – nomen dubium

Simia capucina – white-headed capuchin

Simia sciurea – common squirrel monkey

Simia syrichta – Philippine tarsier

Lemur (lemurs & colugos)

Lemur tardigradus – red slender loris

Lemur catta – ring-tailed lemur

Lemur volans – Philippine flying lemur

Vespertilio (bats)

Vespertilio vampyrus – large flying fox

Vespertilio spectrum – spectral vampire bat

Vespertilio perspicillatus – Seba's short-tailed bat

Vespertilio spasma – lesser false vampire bat

Vespertilio leporinus – greater bulldog bat

Vespertilio auritus – brown long-eared bat

Vespertilio murinus – parti-coloured bat

Bruta

Fore-teeth: none in any jaw

Tusks: in elephants and manatees

Feet: with strong hoof-like nails

Motion: slow

Food: (mostly) masticated vegetables

Elephas (elephants)

Elephas maximus – Asian elephant

Trichechus (manatees)

Trichechus manatus – West Indian manatee

Bradypus (sloths)

Bradypus tridactylus – pale-throated sloth

Bradypus didactylus – Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

Myrmecophaga (anteaters)

Myrmecophaga didactyla – silky anteater

Myrmecophaga tridactyla – giant anteater

Myrmecophaga tetradactyla – southern tamandua

Manis (pangolins)

Manis pentadactyla – Chinese pangolin

Ferae

Fore-teeth: conic, usually 6 in each jaw

Tusks: longer

Grinders: with conic projections

Feet: with claws

Claws: subulate

Food: carcasses and preying on other animals

Phoca (seals)

Phoca ursina – northern fur seal

Phoca leonina – southern elephant seal

Phoca rosmarus – walrus

Phoca vitulina – harbour seal

Canis (dogs & hyenas)

Canis familiaris – domesticated dog

Canis lupus – grey wolf

Canis hyaena – striped hyena

Canis vulpes & Canis alopex – red fox

Canis lagopus – Arctic fox

Canis aureus – golden jackal

Felis (cats)

Felis leo – lion

Felis tigris – tiger

Felis pardus – leopard

Felis onca – jaguar

Felis pardalis – ocelot

Felis catus – domesticated cat

Felis lynx – Eurasian lynx

Viverra (mongooses, civets, and skunks)

Viverra ichneumon – Egyptian mongoose

Viverra mephitis – striped skunk

Viverra putorius – eastern spotted skunk

Viverra zibetha – large Indian civet

Viverra genetta – common genet

Mustela (weasels & kin)

Mustela lutris – sea otter

Mustela lutra – European otter

Mustela gulo – wolverine

Mustela barbara – tayra

Mustela martes – European pine marten

Mustela putorius – European polecat

Mustela furo – ferret

Mustela zibellina – sable

Mustela erminea – stoat

Ursus (bears)

Ursus arctos – brown bear

Ursus luscus – wolverine

Ursus meles – European badger

Ursus lotor – northern raccoon

Bestiae

Fore-teeth: indefinite numbers on the sides, always have one extra canine

Nose: elongate, used to dig

Food: digs out juicy roots and vermin

Sus (pigs)

Sus scrofa – wild boar & domesticated pig

Sus porcus – red river hog

Sus tajacu – collared peccary

Sus babyrusa – Buru babirusa

Dasypus (armadillos)

Dasypus unicinctus – southern naked-tailed armadillo

Dasypus tricinctus & Dasypus quadricinctus – Brazilian three-banded armadillo

Dasypus sexcinctus – six-banded armadillo

Dasypus septemcinctus – seven-banded armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus – nine-banded armadillo

Erinaceus (hedgehogs)

Erinaceus europaeus – European hedgehog

Talpa (moles)

Talpa europaea – European mole

Talpa asiatica – Cape golden mole

Sorex (shrews)

Sorex araneus – common shrew

Sorex cristatus – star-nosed mole

Sorex aquaticus – eastern mole

Didelphis (opossums)

Didelphis marsupialis – common opossum

Didelphis philander – bare-tailed woolly opossum

Didelphis opossum – grey four-eyed opossum

Didelphis murina & Didelphis dorsigera – Linnaeus's mouse opossum

Glires

Fore-teeth: cutting, 2 in each jaw

Tusks: none

Feet: with claws formed for running and bounding

Food: bark, roots, vegetables, etc., which they gnaw

Rhinoceros (rhinoceroses)

Rhinoceros unicornis – Indian rhinoceros

Rhinoceros bicornis – black rhinoceros

Hystrix (porcupines)

Hystrix cristata – crested porcupine

Hystrix prehensilis – Brazilian porcupine

Hystrix dorsata – North American porcupine

Hystrix macroura – Asiatic brush-tailed porcupine

Hystrix brachyura – Malayan porcupine

Lepus (rabbits & hares)

Lepus timidus – mountain hare

Lepus cuniculus – European rabbit

Lepus capensis – Cape hare

Lepus brasiliensis – Brazilian rabbit

Castor (beavers)

Castor fiber – European beaver

Castor moschatus – Russian desman

Mus (mice & kin)

Mus porcellus – domestic guinea pig

Mus leporinus – red-rumped agouti

Mus lemmus – Norway lemming

Mus marmota – Alpine marmot

Mus monax – groundhog

Mus cricetus – European hamster

Mus amphibius & Mus terrestris – European water vole

Mus rattus – black rat

Mus musculus – house mouse

Mus avellanarius – hazel dormouse

Mus sylvaticus – wood mouse

Mus striatus – typical striped grass mouse

Mus longipes - midday jird

Mus jaculus – lesser Egyptian jerboa

Mus volans – southern flying squirrel

Sciurus (squirrels)

Sciurus vulgaris – red squirrel

Sciurus niger – fox squirrel

Sciurus cinereus – Delmarva fox squirrel

Sciurus flavus – [nomen dubium]

Sciurus getulus – Barbary ground squirrel

Sciurus striatus – eastern chipmunk

Sciurus volans – Siberian flying squirrel

Pecora

Fore-teeth: no upper, lower cutting, many

Feet: hoofed, cloven

Food: herbs which they pluck, chews the cud

Stomach: 4:

the paunch to macerate and ruminate the food the bonnet, reticulate, to receive it, the omasus, or maniplies of numerous folds to digest it, and the abomasus', or caille, fasciate, to give it acescency and prevent putrefaction

Camelus (camels)

Camelus dromedarius – dromedary camel

Camelus bactrianus – domestic Bactrian camel

Camelus glama – domestic llama

Camelus pacos – domestic alpaca

Moschus (musk deer)

Moschus moschiferus – Siberian musk deer

Cervus (deer & giraffes)

Cervus camelopardalis – giraffe

Cervus alces – elk

Cervus elaphus – red deer

Cervus tarandus – reindeer

Cervus dama – fallow deer

Cervus bezoarticus – pampas deer

Cervus capreolus – roe deer

Cervus guineensis – [nomen dubium]

Capra (goats & antelope)

Capra hircus, Capra depressa, Capra reversa, & Capra mambrica – domestic goat

Capra ibex – Alpine ibex

Capra rupicapra – chamois

Capra pygmea – royal antelope

Capra gazella – gemsbok

Capra cervicapra – blackbuck

Capra dorcas – dorcas gazelle

Capra grimmia – common duiker

Capra ammon – argali

Ovis (sheep)

Ovis aries, Ovis guineensis, & Ovis strepsiceros – domestic sheep

Bos (cattle)

Bos taurus – domestic cattle

Bos bonasus – wisent

Bos bison – American bison

Bos bubalis – domestic water buffalo

Bos indicus – zebu

Belluae

Fore-teeth: obtuse

Feet: hoofed

Motion: heavy

Food: gathering vegetables

Equus (horses)

Equus caballus – domestic horse

Equus asinus – donkey

Equus zebra – mountain zebra

Hippopotamus (hippopotamuses)

Hippopotamus amphibius – hippopotamus

Hippopotamus terrestris – South American tapir

Cete

Fins: pectoral instead of feet

Tail: horizontal, flattened

Claws: none

Hair: none

Teeth: in some cartilaginous, in some bony

Nostrils: none, instead of which is a fistulous opening in the anterior and upper part of the head

Food: mollusca & fish

Habitation: the ocean

Monodon (narwhals)

Monodon monoceros – narwhal

Balaena (baleen whales)

Balaena mysticetus – bowhead whale

Balaena physalus & Balaena boops – fin whale

Balaena musculus – blue whale

Physeter (sperm whales)

Physeter catodon, Physeter macrocephalus, Physeter miscrops & Physeter tursio – sperm whale

Delphinus (dolphins & porpoises)

Delphinus phocaena – harbour porpoise

Delphinus delphis – short-beaked common dolphin

Delphinus orca – orca

References

Mammalia in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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