Unguiculate Mammal (Noun)
Meaning
A mammal having nails or claws.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- All modern unguiculate mammals, except the primates and rodents, possess keratin-based nails or claws on the distal tips of their digits.
- Bears, a group of unguiculate mammals, use their powerful claws to tear open tree trunks in search of insects.
- As a result of the arboreal lifestyle of primates, they evolved unique grasping capabilities as unguiculate mammals with flattened fingernails.
- Lions are examples of unguiculate mammals with retractable claws, a common feature of members of the Felidae family.
- Unlike rodents, many species of ungulates, another type of unguiculate mammal, use their claws primarily for digging.