ungulate

Ungulates are hoofed mammals, a diverse group defined by the presence of hooves or the tips of their digits. Living ungulates are traditionally divided into two major lineages: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates, including horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs) and Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates, such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, antelope, pigs, camels, and giraffes). In modern taxonomy, cetaceans (whales and dolphins) are descended from the artiodactyls, and the broader clade Cetartiodactyla includes them; thus the term “ungulate” is often used to refer to non-cetacean hoofed mammals.

Anatomy and digestion vary across groups. Most ungulates are herbivorous, with diets ranging from grasses to leaves and fruits. Many artiodactyls are ruminants, possessing a multi-chambered stomach that fermentates plant material before digestion; some are foregut or hindgut fermenters. Dentition is typically adapted to grinding vegetation. Horns, found in many bovids and other species, are keratinous sheaths over bone and are usually permanent, whereas antlers in cervids are made of bone and shed annually.

Ecology and behavior. Ungulates inhabit a wide range of environments, from savannas and grasslands to forests and deserts. They play key roles as primary consumers, shaping vegetation and serving as prey for large carnivores. Many species migrate seasonally or form large social groups. Humans have domesticated several ungulates for food, work, or transportation, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, camels, llamas, and alpacas.

Conservation and evolution. Ungulates originated in the Paleogene, with diversification linked to climatic shifts and grassland expansion. Today, many species face threats such as habitat loss, hunting, and disease, prompting conservation measures in protected areas and managed landscapes.