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Carnivoran facts for kids

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Carnivora
Temporal range: Palaeocene to Recent
Howlsnow.jpg
A gray wolf
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Infraclass:
Superorder:
Order:
Carnivora

Bowdich, 1821
Families
  • 17, See "Taxonomy"

The order Carnivora is a group of mammals. The group is divided into the "cat-like" Feliformia and the "dog-like" Caniformia.

Animals of the order Carnivora are carnivores, a term which applies to all flesh-eaters. If one needs to refer to members of the order, then carnivorans is used. Many species of Carnivora are actually omnivores, and a few of them, like the giant panda, eat mostly plants.

The order includes aquatic relatives in the superfamily Pinnipedia, the walruses and seals.

Taxonomy

Carnivoramorpha

The Carnivores are linked with the Miacids and Viverravids in an unranked clade, the Carnivoramorpha:

The carnivores known as †Creodonts have some relation to these groups, but are placed outside the Carnivoramorpha. The †Mesonychids are another extinct group of early carnivores, which are also not in the Carnivoramorpha.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Carnivora para niños

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