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 1 Equus caballus (horse) • Incisors and hypsodont teeth • Single hoof (toe), vestigial side splints • Long, narrow nasal bones 2 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 3 Advancements: • Ruminant stomach (multi-chambered) • Horns, antlers • Selenodont molars 4 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) 5 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 6 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 7 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. 8 .