Horses, Tapirs & Rhinos
Mammaculture
Pensacola Jr College
Classification
w Order Perissodactyla
w Family Equidae (horses and
zebras)
w Family Tapiridae (tapirs)
w
Family Rhinocerotidae
(rhinoceroses)
Order
Perissodactyla
w Range: Africa, C/S Asia,
lower N America to upper S America
w Feet:
• Unguligrade
• Reduced # of digits (odd
toed on rear feet)
•
Mesaxonic
•
Cursorial
Perissodactyla (cont’d)
w No clavicle
w Special musculature:
• Nuchal ligament
• Springing ligament
• Facial musculature
w Digestion:
• Hindgut fermentation
• Absorb protein in stomach
• Coprophagy
Evolution
w Focus is on:
w Gradual reduction in digits
w Increase in body size
w
Early
horse = Eohippus
w Largest land mammal ever = Indricotherium,
a 40-70,000 lb rhino
Eohippus
Indricotherium
Family Equidae
Equidae
w Range (evolved wild forms):
Africa, W/C Asia
w All are genus Equus
w Physical characteristics:
• Single hooved digit
• Long level skull
• Incisors (chopping) + high
crowned premolars/molars that grow continuously, diastema
Equidae (cont’d)
w Very fast runners
w Grasslands habitat
w Feed on upper grasses
w Diurnal
w Highly social, single male
harem herds
w 1-2 foals, 1 yr gest, 6
months to weaning
African Wild Ass
Przewalski’s Horse
Mountain Zebra
Grevy’s Zebra
Family Tapiridae
Tapiridae
w Range: S Mexico to upper S
America, SE Asia
w All in genus Tapirus
w Rapid movement through thick
underbrush, swim
w Shy, reclusive, rainforest
dwellers
Tapiridae (cont’d)
w Eat leaves, buds, twigs,
fruit, aquatic plants
w Solitary
w Nocturnal
w 1 “watermelon” calf, 13 m
gestation, weaned at 1 year
Tapiridae (cont’d)
w Physical characteristics:
• Tapering body w/very short
tail
• Short fleshy proboscis
• 4 front digits (1 reduced)
and 3 hind digits
• Incisors and canines,
diastema, low crowned cheek teeth
Malayan Tapir
Baird’s Tapir
Brazilian/Lowland
Tapir
Mountain/Woolly
Tapir
Tapir calf
Family
Rhinocerotidae
Rhinocerotidae
w Range: Africa, SE Asia
w Physical characteristics:
• Large thick body
• 3-4 front toes, 3 hind toes
• 1-2 horns of compact keratin
• Incisors/canines reduced or
absent, prominent cheek teeth
• Very poor eyesight
• Hairless except Sumatran
Rhinocerotidae
(cont’d)
w Rely on smell and hearing
w White rhino: lives in herds,
grazer (square lip)
w Other species: solitary,
browsers (hooked lip)
w 1 young, 16 m gestation
(lower in Sumatran), nurse up to 2 years
w Lifespan 40-50 years
White Rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
Javan Rhinoceros
Sumatran
Rhinoceros
Sumatran (closeup)