Laurasiatherians

Laurasiatheria is a clade of placental mammals that is hypothesized to have originated in the Northern Hemisphere, on the ancient supercontinent of Laurasia. Its exact taxonomic placement and composition are still subjects of ongoing research and debate within the scientific community. However, molecular phylogenetic studies have provided strong evidence for its existence and have helped to define its constituent groups. The name "Laurasiatheria" itself reflects the proposed Laurasian origin and the fact that the group contains many familiar mammalian orders.

The clade encompasses a remarkably diverse range of mammals, including carnivorans such as dogs, cats, and bears, as well as ungulates (hoofed mammals) like horses, cattle, and pigs. Whales and dolphins, belonging to the order Cetacea, are also considered laurasiatherians, as are bats (Chiroptera) and pangolins (Pholidota). Even-toed ungulates, like deer and giraffes, and odd-toed ungulates, such as rhinoceroses and tapirs, are found within this large grouping. The evolutionary relationships within Laurasiatheria are complex, with different studies sometimes proposing slightly different arrangements of the major orders. Despite these ongoing refinements, the broad concept of Laurasiatheria as a significant mammalian superclade remains widely accepted.