Nowadays, Ailuropoda is in the focus of many people. Its relevance has grown significantly in different aspects, generating debates, research and multiple opinions on the matter. This topic is of great interest to society in general, since it impacts in some way on people's daily lives. In this article, we will explore different perspectives on Ailuropoda, its evolution over time and its influence in various areas. Likewise, we will analyze how Ailuropoda has been gaining importance today and what are the implications of its relevance in different areas.
Panda | |
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The giant panda, the only extant species in the genus and subfamily | |
Ailuropoda fovealis[clarification needed] skull | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Ursidae |
Subfamily: | Ailuropodinae |
Genus: | Ailuropoda Milne-Edwards, 1870 |
Type species | |
Ailuropoda melanoleuca David, 1869
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Species | |
Ailuropoda is the only extant genus in the ursid (bear) subfamily Ailuropodinae. It contains one living and three fossil species of panda.
Only one species—Ailuropoda melanoleuca—currently exists; the other three species are prehistoric chronospecies. Despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivoran, the giant panda has a diet that is primarily herbivorous, which consists almost exclusively of bamboo.
Giant pandas have descended from Ailurarctos, which lived during the late Miocene.
From Greek αἴλουρος aílouros "cat" + ‒ποδός ‒podós "foot" (gen. sg.). Unlike most bears, giant pandas do not have round pupils, but instead have vertical slits, similar to those of cats. This has not only inspired the scientific name, but in Chinese the giant panda is called "large bear cat" (大熊猫, dà xióngmāo).
The red, or lesser, panda (Ailurus fulgens) was formerly considered closely related to the giant panda. It is no longer considered a bear, however, and is now classified as the sole living representative of a different carnivore family (Ailuridae).
Ursus melanoleucus