Some living systems use vibrations to communicate, as well as to detect conditions within their environment. Some vibratory signals are very high frequency, such as those of a carpenter bee’s wings that cause flowers to release pollen. Other signals are very low frequency, like those used by elephants to signal to other elephants through the ground. Water, air, and solids present different challenges for transmitting vibrations. Living systems must therefore generate vibrations that move best through the particular medium. For example, a water skipper stands atop water and creates vibrations that circle out from it in ripples, signaling to other skippers to stay out of its feeding area.
Class Mammalia (“breast”): Bats, cats, whales, horses, humans
Mammals make up less than 1% of all animals on earth, but they include some of the most well-known species. We know first-hand some of the characteristics that make mammals unique, like having hair, being able to sweat, and producing milk through mammary glands. Another critical shared feature is a set of highly-specialized teeth. Unlike sharks or alligators, for example, whose teeth are generally all the same size and shape, mammals have differently shaped teeth in different areas of the jaws to target specific foods or foraging strategies.
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