Feb 2, 2024, 09:19 PM IST

10 oldest mammals in the world 

Shweta Singh

Monotremes are egg-laying mammals and are considered one of the oldest mammalian lineages, dating back to the Mesozoic era.

Monotremes

Marsupials, such as kangaroos, koalas, and opossums, have been around for a long time. Fossil evidence suggests they have a deep evolutionary history.

Marsupials

The majority of mammalian diversity falls within the placental mammals. While many specific species have evolved and gone extinct over time, some lineages can be traced back millions of years.

Placental mammals

Elephants belong to the order Proboscidea, which has ancient roots. While many species within the order have become extinct, elephants themselves have been around for millions of years.

Elephants

Cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, have a long evolutionary history, with some of their ancestors dating back to the Eocene epoch.

Whales

The primate order, which includes humans, has ancient roots. Fossil evidence shows the existence of early primates dating back to the Paleocene epoch.

Primates

Bats are one of the oldest mammalian orders, with fossil evidence dating back to the Eocene epoch.

Bats

Rodents, such as mice and rats, belong to a diverse order with a long evolutionary history, dating back tens of millions of years.

Rodents

Carnivorous mammals like cats, dogs, and bears have a deep evolutionary history, with various species evolving over millions of years.

Carnivores