Odd-Toed with Hoof (Ungulates) = Horses, Rhinos, Tapirs

Order Perissodactyla

Characteristics:

· Odd-toed with hoof (ungulates) = horses, rhinos, tapirs

· Weight distributed on central digits 2, 3, 4

· 1 toe per foot = horses

· 3 toes per foot = tapirs, rhinos

· 1st digit absent

· Enlarged colon with microorganisms for digestion of cellulose

Family Tapiridae – tapirs

· Semi-aquatic, tropical forest

· Oriental & South American rivers

· Proboscis-like nose similar to elephant

· Front feet = 4 toes; hind feet = 3 toes

Family Rhinocerotidae – rhinos

· Arose in North America, later extinct

· Africa & Asia – plains/savanna; also IndoChina = forest

· Horn-like growth made of hair (keratin) – poaching & extinction

· Hypsodont molars resembling greek symbol pi (π)

Family Equidae – horses

· Arose in North America, later extinct, Spanish return with horses

· Early horses spread into Africa (zebras & asses), Asia and Europe

· Evolution

o No horses, Hyracotherium, Miohippus, Mesohippus or Merychippus, Pliohippus, Equus

· Hyracotherium also ancestor of rhinos & tapirs

Equus caballus (horse)

· Incisors and hypsodont teeth

· Single hoof (toe), vestigial side splints

· Long, narrow nasal bones

Order Artiodactyla

Characteristics:

· Even-toed with ungulates = deer, pigs, antelope, etc…)

· Trend = 2 toes or 4 toes, or 2 toes with dew hooves

· Paraxonic feet = division of 3rd & 4th toe along symmetrical plane

· 1st toe absent, 2nd and 5th toes absent or reduced

· Astragalus double pulley (ankle bone) – restricts lateral movement

· Cannon bone (allows greater jumping ability)

right front feet of a pig (Sus), hippo (Hippopotamus), elk (Cervus), and camel (Camelus)

cannon bones

Advancements:

· Ruminant stomach (multi-chambered)

· Horns, antlers

· Selenodont molars

heads and antler types of representative cervids: clockwise from lower left – Père David’s deer (Elaphurus), moose (Alces), caribou (Rangifer), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus), Chinese water deer (Hydropotes), and pudu (Pudu). Skull is of a sika deer (Cervus)

heads, horn shapes, and sizes of selected bovids: A – suni antelope (Neotragus), B – klipspringer (Oreotragus), C – Grant’s gazelle (Gazella); D – waterbuck (Kobus), E – hartebeest (Alcelaphus), wildebeest (Connochaetes), G – addax (Addax); and H – oryx (Oryx)

Family Tayassuidae – peccaries or javelinas

· Arid regions of SW

· Bunodont teeth

Family Suidae – 4 toes (pigs)

Sus scrofa (wild boar)

· Omnivores

· Exotic from the Old World

· Habitat destruction

· Long & low skull with high occipital region

· Bunodont teeth

· Ever-growing canines

Family Camelidae – 2 toes (camels)

· Asia & Africa

· guanaco, llama, alpaca, vicuna of South America

Family Antilocapridae – 2 toes (antelopes)

Antilocapra (pronghorn antelope)

· plains of North America

· sheds outer horn covering annually, branched horn

· horns on both sexes

· large white rump

Family Cervidae – (deer) – only males have antlers, except caribou

Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer)

· one main antler beam with minor branching

· shallow lacrimal pit

· range expansion

· human-deer conflicts

· most popular big game animal in U.S.

· science-based management?

Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer)

· western U.S.

· black tip on tail

· large, mule-like ears (2/3 to ¾ length of head)

· antlers branch into 2 equal parts

· deep lacrimal pit (~23 mm deep)

Cervus elaphus (elk)

· Rocky Mts. Although once widespread into the plains

· Large yellowish rump patch

· Dark brown neck, breast, legs

· One of largest North American deer

· Bugling

· Same as red deer in Europe

Alces alces (moose)

· Primarily boreal forest biome

· Largest deer

· Broad, over-hanging muzzle

· Massive, dished (palmate) antlers (max. spread ~2m)

· Heavy mane & pendulant flap

Rangifer (caribou)

· Tundra (barren ground caribou) and boreal forest (woodland caribou) biomes

· Both sexes have antlers

· Varied coloration; brown-gray above, whitish belly, inner legs & rump

· Clicking noise when walking = tendon slipping over the bone

· Seasonal migration

Family Bovidae – cattle, sheep, goats

· Entire horn (sheath & core) never shed and usually grow throughout life; also unbranched horns

Bison bison (bison)

· Past prominence, North American plains

Ovis canadensis (bighorn sheep)

· Rocky Mts.