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Even-toed ungulates
Order : Artiodactyla
Smallest animal: lesser Malay mouse deer (see picture, 40 cm long)
Largest animal: Giraffe (5.8 meter)
Heaviest animal: hippopotamus (reports vary from 3,600 to 4,500 kg)
Most of the world's species of large land mammals are artiodactyls. The order of Artiodactyla, containing cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep, has helped humans through evolution. Humans domesticated them for their meat, milk, and leather, farmers to help them on the land.
The order is native to all continents, except the continents of Antarctica and Australia. The giant hippopotamus is the only aquatic artiodactyl, spending most of its time in water. They live their lives in herds of up to 40 animals. They may forage several kilometers distant from where they pass the day, and some farmers see considerable damage to their crops and rangelands due to their foraging and their travel to foraging areas. Pygmy hippos are less social and are usually found in and near forests.
Many members of the order of artiodactyla have huge horns, usually used in conflicts with members of the same species, often in ritualized combats between males at mating time. These horns may become targets of sexual selection: if females find males with larger horns more attractive, they will mate with them and large horns will be favored evolutionarily. This can result into the enormous antlers in species such as the Irish elk. Still the favourite weapon of artiodactyl is their speed to outrun their predators, sight, smell and hearing.
Distinctive features:
"Artiodactyls are paraxonic, that is, the plane of symmetry of each foot passes between the third and fourth digits. In all species the number of digits is reduced at least by the loss of the first digit, and the second and fifth digits are small in many. The third and fourth digits, however, remain large and bear weight in all artiodactyls. This pattern has earned them their name, Artiodactyla, which means "even-toed." Artiodactyls stand in contrast to the "odd-toed ungulates," the Perissodactyla, in which the plane of symmetry runs down the third toe. The most extreme toe reduction seen in any artiodactyls (living or extinct) is in forms such as antelopes and deer, which have just two functional (weight-bearing) digits on each foot. In such forms the third and fourth metapodials fuse, partially or completely, to form a single bone called a cannon bone. In the hind limb of these species, the bones of the ankle are also reduced in number, and the astragalus becomes the main weight-bearing bone. These traits are probably adaptations for running fast and efficiently."
(source: Myers, P. 2001. "Artiodactyla" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed July 07, 2005)
Facts about the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates
Molecular data show that 1) the order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) is paraphyletic unless whales are included within it and 2) that the traditional relationships of Glades within Artiodactyla are not supported.
The even-toed ungulates are divided into three sub-orders;SUINA - pigs and hipposTYLOPODA - camelsRUMINANTIA - deer, cattle, sheep, antelopes & goats GlossaryHomeMuseum Plan
Even-toed ungulates are in the order Artiodactyla. (Full text)
sectio, cutting, secare, to cut)section of the Artiodactyla is that of the See also:SUINASuina, represented at the present day by the pigs (Suidae), and the See also:SOMA (Sanskrit for " pressed juice," from the root su, to press)soma. (Full text)
In the past ten years several molecular and DNA studies have further shaken the phylogenetic tree, suggesting that order Artiodactyla is paraphyletic, and should include the cetaceans. (Full text)
Many of these data sets suggest that Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) is paraphyletic and that Cetacea (whales) represents a highly derived "artiodactyl" subgroup. (Full text)
and Hedges 1998); and (3) whales are the sister group of perissodactyls (McKenna 1987) cast doubt on the efficacy of molecular systematics, but we accept that Artiodactyla is probably the closest living sister-group to Cetacea. (Full text)
Insectivores, rabbits, hares, pikas, and even-toed ungulates are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica, and the odd-toed ungulates are native to Eurasia, Africa, and South America. (Full text)
com/topic/even-toed-ungulate-1Artiodactyla (Hoofed (Even-toed))The even-toed ungulates are a group of 187 large, land-dwelling mammals. (Full text)
order Artiodactyla is mentioned in the following topics: Abbott's Duikeraddax (mammal) Ader's DuikerAlcelaphinae alpaca (mammal)Alpine Ibex (Full text)
Even Toed ungulates are animals that have four toes with two bearing the weight of the body. (Full text)
As Thewissen and colleagues say in their report, distinguishing between the isolated fossil bones of primitive whales and primitive even-toed ungulates is not always easy. (Full text)
A great curiosity among the even-toed ungulates is a complete skeleton of the extinct Giant Elk Megaloceros giganteus. (Full text)
We found one dictionary with English definitions that includes the word even toed ungulates: Tip: Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where "even toed ungulates" is defined. (Full text)
Jump to: General, Art, Business, Computing, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Religion, Science, Slang, Sports, Tech, Phrases We found 4 dictionaries with English definitions that include the word order artiodactyla: Tip: Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where "order artiodactyla" is defined. (Full text)
The odd- and even-toed ungulates are still referred to as the "true ungulates", but fossil and molecular evidence have resulted in the expansion of the term "ungulate". (Full text)
They have disagreed, however, as to whether Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) or Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) is the extant clade most closely related to Cetacea, and have long maintained that each of these orders is monophyletic. (Full text)
Artiodactyla is represented in California by the following taxa: Family (Full text)
Order Artiodactyla Camel Family (2)Cattle, Sheep & Goats (5)Deer Family (2)Giraffe (2)Hippopotamuses (1)Pigs (1) The even-toed ungulates are a group of 187 large, land-dwelling mammals. (Full text)
Artiodactyla is an order of even-toed MAMMALS that walk on their toenails (unguis). (Full text)
The even-toed ungulates are the most numerous group of hoofed mammals living today. (Full text)
The odd- and even-toed ungulates are still referred to as the "true ungulates", but fossil and molecular evidence have resulted in the expansion of the term "ungulate". (Full text)
EVEN-TOED UNGULATES"EVEN-TOED UNGULATES" is a plural of: even-toed ungulate. (Full text)
1. Artiodactyla, order Artiodactyla -- (an order of hooved mammals of the subclass Eutheria (including pigs and peccaries and hippopotami and members of the suborder Ruminantia) having an even number of functional toes)Artiodactyla
order Artiodactyla
(Source WordNet)