Bovids, Cervids,
& Pronghorn
Mammaculture
Pensacola Jr College
Classification
w Order Artiodactyla
• Family Bovidae- cattle,
antelope, gazelles, sheep, goats
• Family Cervidae- moose, elk,
deer, mutjac, pudu
• Family Antilocapridae-
pronghorn
• Family Giraffidae-
giraffe/okapi
Classification
(cont’d)
w Order Artiodactyla
• Family Camelidae- camels,
llamas
• Family Hippopotamidae-
hippopotamuses
• Family Suidae- pigs
• Family Tayassuidae-
peccaries
Artiodactyla
w Range: Africa, Eurasia, N/S
America
w Feet:
• Unguligrade
• Reduced number of digits (usually
even toed)
• Paraxonic
• Distal phalanges are hooves
Artiodactyla (cont’d)
w
Legs:
• Cannon bone (fused
metacarpals / metatarsals)
• Fusion of radius/ulna and
fibula/tibia
• Cursorial abilities
w Usually no clavicle
w Muscles: nuchal and
springing ligaments
Artiodactyla
(cont’d)
w Digestion:
• Some have 3-4 chambered
stomach including 1 as rumen
• Ruminant forms “chew their
cud” (remasticate)
Family Bovidae
Bovidae
w Range: Africa, Eurasia, N
America
w Physical characteristics:
• Males have horns, many
females have horns
• All have 2 hooved toes /
foot
• No upper incisors or
canines, high crowned cheek teeth
• All are 4 chambered
ruminants
What is a horn?
w Bony core
w Keratinized sheath
w Never branched
w Never shed
Bovidae (cont’d)
w Varied habitats
w Mid to low grazers
w Most (except forest species)
live in large herds
w 1-3 calves, 4-10 month
gestation depending on species size
w SSPs
Gaur
Cape Buffalo
American Bison
Yak
Eland
Greater Kudu
Wildebeest
Sable Antelope
Waterbuck
East African Oryx
Thompson’s Gazelle
Four-horned
Antelope
Japanese Serow
Alpine Ibex
Mountain Goat
Bighorn Sheep
Family Cervidae
Cervidae
w Range: N/S America, Eurasia,
NW Africa
w Live in subarctic tundra,
forest, or grassland w/trees
w Mostly browsers
w Solitary and nocturnal to
diurnal and mass herds
w 1-4 calves, 6-8 m gestation
Cervidae (cont’d)
w Physical characteristics:
• All but 2 sp males have antlers,
no females but caribou have antlers
• 4 toes per foot, 2 hooved
• No upper incisors, some have
upper canines, low crowned cheek teeth
• 4 chambered ruminants
What is an antler?
w Completely bone
w Usually branched
w Shed
w Covered by “velvet” skin and
fur while growing
Antler cycle:
w Increasing daylength
(spring/summer) àdecreased melatonin àdecreased inhibition over prolactin à bone and velvet growth
Antler cycle
(cont’d)
w Early decreasing daylength
(early Fall) à increasing testosterone à dries up velvet à bone dies (but high T
maintains antler to pedicel connection)
w Late decreasing daylength à decreasing T à antler shed
Moose
Elk / Caribou /
Reindeer
White-tailed deer
Axis Deer
Pere David’s Deer
Musk Deer
Muntjac
Southern Pudu
Chinese Water Deer
Family Antilocapridae
Antilocapridae
w Range: N America
w Physical characteristics:
• Both male and female have
bony horns with keratin (like bovids) but pronged and shed sheath annually
w Fastest American land mammal
w Good swimmer
Antilocapridae
(cont’d)
w Low browsers
w Social / live in herds
w 1 calf in first litter, then
usually 2-3 per litter (4 days after birth can outrun a human)
w Husbandry issues
Pronghorn