Ungulates
| Ungulate Families and Species United States Native Ungulates Antilocapridae Pronghorn Sheep Facts Bovidae Bison Facts Mountain Goat Facts Wild Sheep Cervidae Caribou Facts Elk Facts Moose Facts Mule Deer Facts White-tailed Deer Facts Tayassuidae Javelina Facts World Ungulates Bovidae Aoudad Dik-dik Gemsbok Nilgai Waterbuck Yak Facts Camelidae Camel Facts Llama Facts Cervidae Deer Facts Fallow Deer Giraffidae Giraffe Facts Hippopotamidae Hippopotamus Facts Suidae Types of Pigs Tayassuidae Chacoan Peccary Perissodactyla Rhinoceros Facts Tapir Facts Zebra Facts Types of Animals |
We know them as cows, horses, pigs, sheep and goats, among other domestic animals. Formally they are called ungulates, a general term given to both the domestic and wild hoofed animals.
With the exceptions of Australia and New Zealand, which have no native wild ungulates, the wild ungulate population inhabits most of the world's grasslands and some forest areas.
The group breaks down into two order, primarily based on the formation of their feet.
- Artiodactyla: Even-toed Ungulates
- Perissodactyla: Odd-toed Ungulates
Surveying the list below confirms another basic observation that is applicable across the range of ungulates. With few exceptions, most ungulate species are describes as large herbivores.
Some ungulate fun facts include the white rhinoceros as the largest odd-toed ungulate and the giraffe as the largest even toed ungulate.
Up front it is also important to note that fossil records suggest a link between cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and even-toed Ungulates, and some taxonomists lump both groups under a single order.
Taking Artiodacytla as a single order, the wild animal population currently breaks down into ten different, and familiar families, with approximately two hundred and fifty different species.
The vast majority of Artiodacytla species belong to two families, the horn bearing antelope or cattle-like Bovidae and the antler bearing deer (Cervidae).
- Antilocapridae: Pronghorn Sheep (1 species)
- Bovidae: Antelope, Bison, Ox, Gazelles, etc.al (140 species)
- Camelidae: Camels and Llamas (3 species)
- Cervidae: Deer, Elk, Moose (55 species)
- Giraffidae: Giraffes (2 species)
- Hippopotamidae: Hippopotomus (4 species)
- Moschidae: Musk Deer (7 species)
- Suidae: Pigs, Warthogs (18 species)
- Tayassuidae: Peccary (4 species)
- Tragulidae: Chevrotain (10 species)
Perissodactyla, a much smaller order, consists of three families and nineteen wild species.
- Equidae: Wild Horses and Zebras (7 species)
- Rhinocerotidae: Rhinoceros (5 species)
- Tapiridae: Tapirs (4 species)
The top video provides a brief look at some popular ungulates in action.
The links in the box point to articles that provide additional facts about different Ungulate families and species. The top of the list highlights the four families and eleven native ungulate species.
© 2011. Patricia A. Michaels