Which one of the following characters is not typical of the class Mam...
Not Typical Character of Mammalia
The class Mammalia is a diverse group of animals that share certain characteristics. However, there are some exceptions or variations in some of these characteristics. The following are the characteristics of Mammalia that are typical of the class:
- Hair or fur covering the body
- Mammary glands for milk production
- Three middle ear bones (malleus, incus, and stapes)
- Endothermic (warm-blooded) metabolism
- Diaphragm for breathing
- Four-chambered heart
Among these characteristics, the one that is not typical of the class Mammalia is:
Ten Pairs of Cranial Nerves
Most mammals have twelve pairs of cranial nerves that originate from the brain and control various functions of the head and neck region. However, there are some exceptions in which the number of cranial nerves is reduced or increased. For instance, monotremes (egg-laying mammals) have ten pairs of cranial nerves, while some species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) have up to twenty pairs of cranial nerves.
Therefore, the correct answer is option C, which states that ten pairs of cranial nerves are not typical of the class Mammalia.