Scientific Classification
Order - Carnivora.
The scientific order Carnivora includes bears, dogs, cats, raccoons, otters, weasels, and their relatives. All typical carnivores have well developed claws and a pair of specialized cheek teeth for cutting hard foods.
Family - Ursidae.
All bears belong to this family. The family is divided into three subfamilies, Ursinae (black bears, brown bears, polar bears, sloth bears, and sun bears), Tremarctinae (spectacled bears), and Ailuropodinae (giant pandas).
Genus, species - Ursus maritimus. (Latin meaning: "Sea Bear")
There are five other species in the genus Ursus: brown bears, American black bears, Asiatic black bears, sun bears, and sloth bears. Species can be distinguished by size, build, coloration, and habitat.
Fossil Record
The fossil record for Polar Bears goes back less then 100,000 years. They are thought to have evolved from the Brown Bear (To which Polar Bears are closely related). There are believed to have evolved around the Pleistocene era. |
