carnivoran

Carnivorans are mammals of the order Carnivora, a diverse group of primarily meat-eating mammals that includes cats, dogs, bears, weasels, seals, and relatives. In modern classifications the order is divided into two major clades: Feliformia (cat-like carnivorans) and Caniformia (dog-like carnivorans). Although many species are carnivorous, diets range from strict carnivory to omnivory and insectivory.

Anatomy: Carnivorans typically possess skull and dentition adapted for processing animal tissue, with the carnassial pair—upper fourth premolar and lower first molar—specialized for shearing meat. Limb and foot structure varies with lifestyle, with some adapted to running, climbing, digging, or swimming.

Evolution and diversity: The order arose in the early Cenozoic; earliest fossils such as miacids in the Paleocene to Eocene are considered probable early carnivorans. The split between Feliformia and Caniformia occurred during the Eocene, roughly 42–50 million years ago, giving rise to the modern lineages. Extant carnivorans occupy diverse habitats worldwide, from forests and grasslands to oceans and seas.

Ecology and significance: They are top or mid-level predators or scavengers in many ecosystems, shaping prey communities and contributing to ecosystem function. Some lineages, such as pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses), are specialized marine predators; others are terrestrial or fossorial.

Taxonomy and examples: The order Carnivora is divided into two suborders, Feliformia and Caniformia, which comprise several families including Felidae (cats), Canidae (dogs), Ursidae (bears), Mustelidae (weasels), Otariidae and Phocidae (seals), Procyonidae (raccoons), Ailuridae (red panda), and Mephitidae (skunks).