WHAT ARE THE UNGULATES?
The word ‘ungulate’ comes from the Latin ‘ungula’, meaning hoof. It has long been used as a term to describe any hooved herbivorous mammal, but the ungulates have not been thought to constitute a single group of closely related animals until recently. The ‘ungulates’ were considered to comprise the Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates like pigs or cattle), the Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates like horses or tapirs) and various fossil groups of primitive ungulates. The aardvark, elephants and hyraxes were referred to as ‘subungulates’. Today, the ‘Ungulata’ is believed to contain 6, perhaps 7 living orders: The Order ARTIODACTYLA (even-toed ungulates eg. pigs, camels, deer and cattle). The Order PERISSODACTYLA (odd-toed ungulates eg. horses, tapirs and rhinoceroses). The Order HYRACOIDEA (hyraxes). The Order PROBOSCIDEA (elephants). The Order SIRENIA (sea-cows). The Order TUBULIDENTATA (the aardvark). The Order CETACEA (whales and dolphins). Strange as it may seem, whales are ungulates..
