Decan
Descriptions of the decans -- East Asian Zodiac
Table:
East Asian Zodiac[20]

Zodiac

First animal

Second animal

Third animal

Rat

Cat (貓)[note 1]

Rat (鼠)

Bat (伏翼)

Ox

Cattle (牛)

Crab (蟹)

Turtle (鱉)

Tiger

Raccoon dog (狸)[note 2]

Leopard (豹)

Tiger (虎)

Rabbit

Fox (狐)[note 3]

Rabbit (兔)

Badger (貉)[note 4]

Dragon

Dragon (龍)

Shark (鮫)

Fish (魚)

Snake

Cicada (蟬)

Carp (鯉)

Snake (蛇)

Horse

Deer (鹿)

Horse (馬)

Roebuck (麞)

Goat

Sheep (羊)

Goose (雁)

Hawk or falcon (鷹)

Monkey

Gibbon (狖)[note 5][22][23]

Ape (猿)[note 6][23]

Monkey (猴)[note 7][23]

Rooster

Raven (烏)

Chicken (雞)

Pheasant (雉)

Dog

Dog (狗, see Inugami)

Wolf (狼)

Ch. Dhole, Ja. Honshu wolf (豺)

Pig

Pig (豕)[note 8][21]

Domestic pig (豕 俞)[note 9][21]

Wild boar (豬)[note 10][21]

Using the table along with the article excerpts listed at the end.

State the answer to the question: What is the first animal of the sign where the second sign is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The Zodiacal Rat is the first of the repeating 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac , constituting part of the Chinese calendar system ( with similar systems in use elsewhere ) . The Year of the Rat in standard Chinese is ( Chinese : 鼠年 ; pinyin : shǔ​nián ) ; the rat is associated with the first branch of the Earthly Branch symbol 子 ( zǐ ) , which starts a repeating cycle of twelve years . The Chinese word shǔ​ ( 鼠 ) may refer to rat , mouse , or other muroid-type animal . There is also a yearly month of the rat and a daily hour of the rat ( Chinese double hour , midnight , 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. ) . Years of the rat are cyclically differentiated by correlation to the Heavenly Stems cycle , resulting in a repeating cycle of five years of the rat ( over a sixty-year period ) , each rat year also being associated with one of the Chinese wu xing , also known as the five elements .
The cat ( Felis catus ) is a small carnivorous mammal . It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from wild members of the family . The cat is either a house cat , a farm cat or a feral cat ; latter ranges freely and avoids human contact . Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and for their ability to hunt rodents . About 60 cat breeds are recognized by various cat registries . The cat is similar in anatomy to the other felid species , has a strong flexible body , quick reflexes , sharp teeth and retractable claws adapted to killing small prey . Its night vision and sense of smell are well developed . Cat communication includes vocalizations like meowing , purring , trilling , hissing , growling and grunting as well as cat-specific body language . It is a solitary hunter , but a social species . It can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears , such as those made by mice and other small mammals . It is a predator that is most active at dawn and dusk . It secretes and perceives pheromones .
Rats are various medium-sized , long-tailed rodents . Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia , but stereotypical rats are found in the genus Rattus . Other rat genera include Neotoma ( pack rats ) , Bandicota ( bandicoot rats ) and Dipodomys ( kangaroo rats ) . Rats are typically distinguished from mice by their size . Generally , when someone discovers a large muroid rodent , its common name includes the term rat , while if it is smaller , its name includes the term mouse . The common terms rat and mouse are not taxonomically specific .
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera ; [ a ] with their forelimbs adapted as wings , they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight . Bats are more manoeuvrable than birds , flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium . The smallest bat , and arguably the smallest extant mammal , is Kitti 's hog-nosed bat , which is 29-34 mm ( 1.14-1.34 in ) in length , 15 cm ( 5.91 in ) across the wings and 2-2.6 g ( 0.07-0.09 oz ) in mass . The largest bats are the flying foxes and the giant golden-crowned flying fox , Acerodon jubatus , which can weigh 1.6 kg ( 4 lb ) and have a wingspan of 1.7 m ( 5 ft 7 in ) . The second largest order of mammals after rodents , bats comprise about 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide , with over 1,200 species . These were traditionally divided into two suborders : the largely fruit-eating megabats , and the echolocating microbats . But more recent evidence has supported dividing the order into Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera , with megabats as members of the former along with several species of microbats . Many bats are insectivores , and most of the rest are frugivores ( fruit-eaters ) . A few species feed on animals other than insects ; for example , the vampire bats feed on blood . Most bats are nocturnal , and many roost in caves or other refuges ; it is uncertain whether bats have these behaviours to escape predators . Bats are present throughout the world , with the exception of extremely cold regions . They are important in their ecosystems for pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds ; many tropical plants depend entirely on bats for these services .
The Ox ( 牛 ) is the second of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Ox is denoted by the Earthly Branch symbol 丑 . In the Vietnamese zodiac , the water buffalo occupies the position of the Ox . In the Gurung zodiac , the Ox is replaced by the Cow .
Cattle , or cows , are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates . They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae , are the most widespread species of the genus Bos , and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos taurus . Cattle are commonly raised as livestock for meat ( beef or veal , see beef cattle ) , for milk ( see dairy cattle ) , and for hides , which are used to make leather . They are used as riding animals and draft animals ( oxen or bullocks , which pull carts , plows and other implements ) . Another product of cattle is dung , which can be used to create manure or fuel . In some regions , such as parts of India , cattle have significant religious meaning . Cattle , mostly small breeds such as the Miniature Zebu , are also kept as pets . Around 10,500 years ago , cattle were domesticated from as few as 80 progenitors in central Anatolia , the Levant and Western Iran . According to an estimate from 2011 , there are 1.4 billion cattle in the world . In 2009 , cattle became one of the first livestock animals to have a fully mapped genome .
Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura , which typically have a very short projecting tail ( abdomen ) ( Greek : βραχύς , romanized : brachys = short , οὐρά / οura = tail ) , usually hidden entirely under the thorax . They live in all the world 's oceans , in fresh water , and on land , are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton and have a single pair of pincers . Many other animals with similar names - such as hermit crabs , king crabs , porcelain crabs , horseshoe crabs , and crab lice - are not true crabs .
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield . Turtle may refer to the order as a whole ( American English ) or to fresh-water and sea-dwelling testudines ( British English ) . The order Testudines includes both extant ( living ) and extinct species . The earliest known members of this group date from the Middle Jurassic , making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than snakes or crocodilians . Of the 356 known species alive today , some are highly endangered . Turtles are ectotherms - animals commonly called cold-blooded - meaning that their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment . However , because of their high metabolic rate , leatherback sea turtles have a body temperature that is noticeably higher than that of the surrounding water . Turtles are classified as amniotes , along with other reptiles , birds , and mammals . Like other amniotes , turtles breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater , although many species live in or around water .
The Tiger ( 寅 ) is the third of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Tiger is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 寅 .
The raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides , from the Greek words nukt- , night + ereutēs , wanderer + prokuōn , before-dog [ but in New Latin used to mean raccoon ] + -oidēs , similar to ) , also known as the mangut ( its Evenki name ) , tanuki or neoguri , is a canid indigenous to East Asia . It is the only extant species in the genus Nyctereutes . Despite its name , its closest relatives are true foxes . Among the Canidae , the raccoon dog shares the habit of regularly climbing trees only with the North American gray fox , another basal species . The raccoon dog is named for its superficial resemblance to the raccoon ( Procyon lotor ) , to which it is not closely related . In Japan , it is known as the tanuki and has a long history in folklore . In Sweden , where it is called mårdhund ( marten-dog ) , and in Denmark , where it 's called mårhund ( same meaning ) , it has been treated as a potentially hazardous invasive species .
The leopard ( Panthera pardus ) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera , a member of the Felidae . It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa , in small parts of Western and Central Asia , on the Indian subcontinent to Southeast and East Asia . It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation , and are declining in large parts of the global range . In Hong Kong , Singapore , Kuwait , Syria , Libya , Tunisia and most likely in Morocco , leopard populations have already been extirpated . Contemporary records suggest that the leopard occurs in only 25% of its historical global range . Leopards are hunted illegally , and their body parts are smuggled in the wildlife trade for medicinal practices and decoration . Compared to other wild cats , the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull . Its fur is marked with rosettes . It is similar in appearance to the jaguar , but has a smaller , lighter physique , and its rosettes are generally smaller , more densely packed and without central spots . Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers . The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur , opportunistic hunting behaviour , broad diet , strength , and its ability to adapt to a variety of habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe , including arid and montane areas . It can run at speeds of up to 58 kilometres per hour ( 36 mph ) .
The tiger ( Panthera tigris ) is the largest species among the Felidae and classified in the genus Panthera . It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orangish-brown fur with a lighter underside . It is an apex predator , primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and wild boar . It is territorial and generally a solitary but social predator , requiring large contiguous areas of habitat , which support its requirements for prey and rearing of its offspring . Tiger cubs stay with their mother for about two years , before they become independent and leave their mother 's home range to establish their own . The tiger once ranged widely from the Eastern Anatolia Region in the west to the Amur River basin , and in the south from the foothills of the Himalayas to Bali in the Sunda islands . Since the early 20th century , tiger populations have lost at least 93% of their historic range and have been extirpated in Western and Central Asia , from the islands of Java and Bali , and in large areas of Southeast and South Asia and China . Today 's tiger range is fragmented , stretching from Siberian temperate forests to subtropical and tropical forests on the Indian subcontinent and Sumatra . The tiger is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986 . As of 2015 , the global wild tiger population was estimated to number between 3,062 and 3,948 mature individuals , down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century , with most remaining populations occurring in small pockets isolated from each other . Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction , habitat fragmentation and poaching . This , coupled with the fact that it lives in some of the more densely populated places on Earth , has caused significant conflicts with humans .
The Rabbit ( 卯 ) is the fourth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Rabbit is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 卯 . In the Vietnamese zodiac and the Gurung zodiac , the cat takes the place of the Rabbit . In the Malay zodiac , the mousedeer takes the place of the Rabbit .
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized , omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae . Foxes have a flattened skull , upright triangular ears , a pointed , slightly upturned snout , and a long bushy tail ( or brush ) . Twelve species belong to the monophyletic true foxes group of genus Vulpes . Approximately another 25 current or extinct species are always or sometimes called foxes ; these foxes are either part of the paraphyletic group of the South American foxes , or of the outlying group , which consists of bat-eared fox , gray fox , and island fox . Foxes live on every continent except Antarctica . By far the most common and widespread species of fox is the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) with about 47 recognized subspecies . The global distribution of foxes , together with their widespread reputation for cunning , has contributed to their prominence in popular culture and folklore in many societies around the world . The hunting of foxes with packs of hounds , long an established pursuit in Europe , especially in the British Isles , was exported by European settlers to various parts of the New World .
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha ( along with the hare and the pika ) . Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and its descendants , the world 's 305 breeds of domestic rabbit . Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species , among them the seven types of cottontail . The European rabbit , which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica , is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated form of livestock and pet . With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures , the rabbit ( or bunny ) is , in many areas of the world , a part of daily life - as food , clothing , a companion , and as a source of artistic inspiration .
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the families Mustelidae ( which also includes the otters , polecats , weasels , and ferrets ) , and Mephitidae ( which also includes the skunks ) . Badgers are a polyphyletic grouping , and are not a natural taxonomic grouping : badgers are united by possession of a squat body adapted for fossorial activity . All belong to the caniform suborder of carnivoran mammals . The 11 species of mustelid badgers are grouped in four subfamilies : Melinae ( 4 species , including the European badger ) , Helictidinae ( 5 species of ferret-badger ) , Mellivorinae ( the honey badger or ratel ) , and Taxideinae ( the American badger ) ; the respective genera are Arctonyx , Meles , Melogale , Mellivora and Taxidea . Badgers include the most basal mustelids ; the American badger is the most basal of all , followed successively by the ratel and Melinae ; the estimated split dates are about 17.8 , 15.5 and 14.8 million years ago , respectively . The two species of Asiatic stink badgers of the genus Mydaus were formerly included within Melinae ( and thus Mustelidae ) , but more recent genetic evidence indicates these are actually members of the skunk family . Badger mandibular condyles connect to long cavities in their skulls , which gives resistance to jaw dislocation and increases their bite grip strength . This in turn limits jaw movement to hinging open and shut , or sliding from side to side , but it does not hamper the twisting movement possible for the jaws of most mammals . Badgers have rather short , wide bodies , with short legs for digging . They have elongated , weasel-like heads with small ears . Their tails vary in length depending on species ; the stink badger has a very short tail , while the ferret badger 's tail can be 46-51 cm ( 18-20 in ) long , depending on age . They have black faces with distinctive white markings , grey bodies with a light-coloured stripe from head to tail , and dark legs with light-coloured underbellies .
The Dragon ( simplified Chinese : 龙 ; traditional Chinese : 龍 ) is the fifth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Dragon is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 辰 , pronounced chen . It has been proposed by one academic researcher that the Earthly Branch character may have been associated with scorpions ; it may have symbolized the star Antares . In the Buddhist calendar used in Thailand , Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar , and Sri Lanka , the Dragon is replaced by the nāga . In the Gurung zodiac , the Dragon is replaced by the eagle . In the Persian zodiac , the Dragon is replaced by the whale .
A dragon is a large , serpentine legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures around the world . Beliefs about dragons vary drastically by region , but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as winged , horned , four-legged , and capable of breathing fire . Dragons in eastern cultures are usually depicted as wingless , four-legged , serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence . The earliest attested reports of draconic creatures resemble giant snakes . Draconic creatures are first described in the mythologies of the ancient Near East and appear in ancient Mesopotamian art and literature . Stories about storm-gods slaying giant serpents occur throughout nearly all Indo-European and Near Eastern mythologies . Famous prototypical draconic creatures include the mušḫuššu of ancient Mesopotamia ; Apep in Egyptian mythology ; Vṛtra in the Rigveda ; the Leviathan in the Hebrew Bible ; Python , Ladon , Wyvern , and the Lernaean Hydra in Greek mythology ; Jörmungandr , Níðhöggr , and Fafnir in Norse mythology ; and the dragon from Beowulf . The popular western image of a dragon as winged , four-legged , and capable of breathing fire is an invention of the High Middle Ages , based on a conflation of earlier dragons from different traditions , and of inaccurate scribal drawings of snakes . In western cultures , dragons are portrayed as monsters to be tamed or overcome , usually by saints or culture heroes , as in the popular legend of Saint George and the Dragon . They are often said to have ravenous appetites and to live in caves , where they hoard treasure . These dragons appear frequently in western fantasy literature , including The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien , the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling , and A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin . The word dragon has also come to be applied to the Chinese lung ( traditional 龍 , simplified 龙 , Pinyin long ) , which are associated with good fortune and are thought to have power over rain .
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton , five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head , and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head . Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha ( or Selachii ) and are the sister group to the rays . However , the term shark has also been used for extinct members of the subclass Elasmobranchii outside the Selachimorpha , such as Cladoselache and Xenacanthus , as well as other Chondrichthyes such as the holocephalid eugenedontidans . Under this broader definition , the earliest known sharks date back to more than 420 million years ago . Acanthodians are often referred to as spiny sharks ; though they are not part of Chondrichthyes proper , they are a paraphyletic assemblage leading to cartilaginous fish as a whole . Since then , sharks have diversified into over 500 species . They range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark ( Etmopterus perryi ) , a deep sea species of only 17 centimetres ( 6.7 in ) in length , to the whale shark ( Rhincodon typus ) , the largest fish in the world , which reaches approximately 12 metres ( 40 ft ) in length . Sharks are found in all seas and are common to depths of 2,000 metres ( 6,600 ft ) . They generally do not live in freshwater although there are a few known exceptions , such as the bull shark and the river shark , which can be found in both seawater and freshwater . Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protects their skin from damage and parasites in addition to improving their fluid dynamics . They have numerous sets of replaceable teeth . Well-known species such as the tiger shark , blue shark , great white shark , mako shark , thresher shark , and hammerhead shark are apex predators - organisms at the top of their underwater food chain .
Fish are gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits . They form a sister group to the tunicates , together forming the olfactores . Included in this definition are the living hagfish , lampreys , and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups . Tetrapods emerged within lobe-finned fishes , so cladistically they are fish as well . However , traditionally fish are rendered paraphyletic by excluding the tetrapods ( i.e. , the amphibians , reptiles , birds and mammals which all descended from within the same ancestry ) . Because in this manner the term fish is defined negatively as a paraphyletic group , it is not considered a formal taxonomic grouping in systematic biology , unless it is used in the cladistic sense , including tetrapods . The traditional term pisces ( also ichthyes ) is considered a typological , but not a phylogenetic classification . The earliest organisms that can be classified as fish were soft-bodied chordates that first appeared during the Cambrian period . Although they lacked a true spine , they possessed notochords which allowed them to be more agile than their invertebrate counterparts . Fish would continue to evolve through the Paleozoic era , diversifying into a wide variety of forms . Many fish of the Paleozoic developed external armor that protected them from predators . The first fish with jaws appeared in the Silurian period , after which many ( such as sharks ) became formidable marine predators rather than just the prey of arthropods .
The Snake ( 蛇 ) is the sixth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Snake is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 巳 . According to one legend , there is a reason for the order of the 12 animals in the 12-year cycle . The story goes that a race was held to cross a great river , and the order of the animals in the cycle was based upon their order in finishing the race . In this story , the Snake compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on the Horse 's hoof , and when the Horse was just about to cross the finish line , jumping out , scaring the Horse , and thus edging it out for sixth place . The same 12 animals are also used to symbolize the cycle of hours in the day , each being associated with a two-hour time period . The hour of the Snake is 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. , the time when the Sun warms up the Earth , and Snakes are said to slither out of their holes . The month of the Snake is 5 May to 5 June . The reason the animal signs are referred to as zodiacal is that one 's personality is said to be influenced by the animal signs ruling the time of birth , together with elemental aspects of the animal signs within the sexagenary cycle . Similarly , the year governed by a particular animal sign is supposed to be characterized by it , with the effects particularly strong for people who were born in any year governed by the same animal sign . In Chinese symbology , Snakes are regarded as intelligent , but with a tendency to be somewhat unscrupulous .
The cicadas ( /sɪˈkɑːdə/ or /sɪˈkeɪdə/ ) are a superfamily , the Cicadoidea , of insects in the order Hemiptera ( true bugs ) . They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha , [ a ] along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers . The superfamily is divided into two families , Tettigarctidae , with two species in Australia , and Cicadidae , with more than 3,000 species described from around the world ; many species remain undescribed . Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart , short antennae , and membranous front wings . They have an exceptionally loud song , produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals . The earliest known fossil Cicadomorpha appeared in the Upper Permian period ; extant species occur all around the world in temperate to tropical climates . They typically live in trees , feeding on watery sap from xylem tissue and laying their eggs in a slit in the bark . Most cicadas are cryptic . The vast majority of species are active during the day as adults , with some calling at dawn or dusk . Only a rare few species are known to be nocturnal . The periodic cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs , emerging only after 13 or 17 years . The unusual duration and timing of their emergence may reduce the number of cicadas lost to predation , both by making them a less reliably available prey ( so that any predator who evolved to depended on cicadas for sustenance might starve waiting for their emergence ) , and by emerging in such huge numbers that they will satiate any remaining predators before losing enough of their number to threaten their survival as a species .
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae , a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia . They also can be found as invasive species in Africa , Australia and the Americas .
Snakes are elongated , legless , carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates , snakes are ectothermic , amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales . Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints than their lizard ancestors , enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads with their highly mobile jaws . To accommodate their narrow bodies , snakes ' paired organs ( such as kidneys ) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side , and most have only one functional lung . Some species retain a pelvic girdle with a pair of vestigial claws on either side of the cloaca . Lizards have evolved elongate bodies without limbs or with greatly reduced limbs about twenty-five times independently via convergent evolution , leading to many lineages of legless lizards . Legless lizards resemble snakes , but several common groups of legless lizards have eyelids and external ears , which snakes lack , although this rule is not universal ( see Amphisbaenia , Dibamidae , and Pygopodidae ) . Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica , and on most smaller land masses ; exceptions include some large islands , such as Ireland , Iceland , Greenland , the Hawaiian archipelago , and the islands of New Zealand , and many small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific oceans . Additionally , sea snakes are widespread throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans . More than 20 families are currently recognized , comprising about 520 genera and about 3,600 species . They range in size from the tiny , 10.4 cm ( 4.1 in ) -long Barbados thread snake to the reticulated python of 6.95 meters ( 22.8 ft ) in length . The fossil species Titanoboa cerrejonensis was 12.8 meters ( 42 ft ) long .
The Horse ( ⾺ ) is the seventh of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . There is a long tradition of the Horse in Chinese mythology . Certain characteristics of the Horse nature are supposed to be typical of or to be associated with either a year of the Horse and its events , or in regard to the personality of someone born in such a year . Horse aspects can also enter by other chronomantic factors or measures , such as hourly .
Deer ( singular and plural ) are the hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae . The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae , including the muntjac , the elk ( wapiti ) , the fallow deer , and the chital ; and the Capreolinae , including the reindeer ( caribou ) , the roe deer , and the moose . Female reindeer , and male deer of all species except the Chinese water deer , grow and shed new antlers each year . In this they differ from permanently horned antelope , which are part of a different family ( Bovidae ) within the same order of even-toed ungulates ( Artiodactyla ) . The musk deer ( Moschidae ) of Asia and chevrotains ( Tragulidae ) of tropical African and Asian forests are separate families within the ruminant clade ( Ruminantia ) . They are no more closely related to deer than are other even-toed ungulates . Deer appear in art from Paleolithic cave paintings onwards , and they have played a role in mythology , religion , and literature throughout history , as well as in heraldry . Their economic importance includes the use of their meat as venison , their skins as soft , strong buckskin , and their antlers as handles for knives . Deer hunting has been a popular activity since at least the Middle Ages and remains a resource for many families today .
The horse ( Equus ferus caballus ) is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus . It is an odd-toed ungulate mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae . The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature , Eohippus , into the large , single-toed animal of today . Humans began domesticating horses around 4000 BC , and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC . Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated , although some domesticated populations live in the wild as feral horses . These feral populations are not true wild horses , as this term is used to describe horses that have never been domesticated , such as the endangered Przewalski 's horse , a separate subspecies , and the only remaining true wild horse . There is an extensive , specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related concepts , covering everything from anatomy to life stages , size , colors , markings , breeds , locomotion , and behavior . Horses are adapted to run , allowing them to quickly escape predators , possessing an excellent sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight response . Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait : horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down , with younger horses tending to sleep significantly more than adults . Female horses , called mares , carry their young for approximately 11 months , and a young horse , called a foal , can stand and run shortly following birth . Most domesticated horses begin training under a saddle or in a harness between the ages of two and four . They reach full adult development by age five , and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years .
The European roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) , also known as the western roe deer , chevreuil , or simply roe deer or roe , is a species of deer . The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck . The roe deer is relatively small , reddish and grey-brown , and well-adapted to cold environments . The species is widespread in Europe , from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia , from Scotland to the Caucasus , and east to northern Iran and Iraq . It is distinct from the somewhat larger Siberian roe deer .
The Goat ( Chinese : 羊 ; pinyin : yáng , sometimes also translated Sheep or Ram ) is the eighth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . This zodiacal sign is often referred to as the Ram or Sheep sign , since the Chinese word yáng is more accurately translated as Caprinae , a taxonomic subfamily that includes both goats and sheep , but contrasts with other animal subfamily types such as Bovinae , Antilopinae , and other taxonomic considerations which may be encountered in the case of the larger family of Bovidae in Chinese mythology , which also includes the Ox ( zodiac ) . The Year of the Goat is associated with the 8th Earthly Branch symbol , 未 ( wèi ) .
Sheep ( Ovis aries ) are quadrupedal , ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock . Like most ruminants , sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla , the even-toed ungulates . Although the name sheep applies to many species in the genus Ovis , in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries . Numbering a little over one billion , domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep . An adult female is referred to as a ewe ( /juː/ ) , an intact male as a ram , occasionally a tup , a castrated male as a wether , and a young sheep is a lamb . Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia and one of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes , sheep are raised for fleeces , meat ( lamb , hogget or mutton ) and milk . A sheep 's wool is the most widely used animal fiber , and is usually harvested by shearing . Ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when from older ones in Commonwealth countries , and lamb in the United States ( including from adults ) . Sheep continue to be important for wool and meat today , and are also occasionally raised for pelts , as dairy animals , or as model organisms for science . Sheep husbandry is practised throughout the majority of the inhabited world , and has been fundamental to many civilizations . In the modern era , Australia , New Zealand , the southern and central South American nations , and the British Isles are most closely associated with sheep production . There are a large lexicon of unique terms which vary considerably by region and dialect .
A goose ( plural geese ) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae . This group comprises the genera Anser ( the grey geese ) , Branta ( the black geese ) , and Chen ( which includes the white geese ) , the latter being commonly placed within the genus Anser . Some other birds , mostly related to the shelducks , have goose as part of their names . More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans , most of which are larger than true geese , and ducks , which are smaller . The term goose is more properly used for a female bird , while gander refers specifically to a male one . Young birds before fledging are called goslings . The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle ; when in flight , they are called a skein , a team , or a wedge ; when flying close together , they are called a plump .
Hawks are a group of medium-sized diurnal birds of prey of the family Accipitridae . Hawks are widely distributed and vary greatly in size .
Falcons ( /ˈfɒlkən , ˈfɔːl- , ˈfæl-/ ) are birds of prey in the genus Falco , which includes about 40 species . Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica , closely related parrots . Adult falcons have thin , tapered wings , which enable them to fly at high speed and change direction rapidly . Fledgling falcons , in their first year of flying , have longer flight feathers , which make their configuration more like that of a general-purpose bird such as a broad-wing . This makes flying easier while learning the exceptional skills required to be effective hunters as adults . There are many different types of falcon . The falcons are the largest genus in the Falconinae subfamily of Falconidae , which itself also includes another subfamily comprising caracaras and a few other species . All these birds kill with their beaks , using a tooth on the side of their beaks - unlike the hawks , eagles , and other birds of prey in the Accipitridae , which use their feet . The largest falcon is the gyrfalcon at up to 65 cm in length . The smallest falcons are the kestrels , of which the Seychelles kestrel measures just 25 cm . As with hawks and owls , falcons exhibit sexual dimorphism , with the females typically larger than the males , thus allowing a wider range of prey species . Some small falcons with long , narrow wings are called hobbies and some which hover while hunting are called kestrels .
The Monkey ( 猴 ) is the ninth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Monkey is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 申 .
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae . The family historically contained one genus , but now is split into four genera and 18 species . Gibbons live in tropical and subtropical rain forests from eastern Bangladesh and northeast India to southern China and Indonesia ( including the islands of Sumatra , Borneo , and Java ) . Also called the lesser apes or smaller apes , gibbons differ from great apes ( chimpanzees , bonobos , gorillas , orangutans and humans ) in being smaller , exhibiting low sexual dimorphism , and not making nests . In certain anatomical details , they superficially more closely resemble monkeys than great apes do , but like all apes , gibbons are tailless . Unlike most of the great apes , gibbons frequently form long-term pair bonds . Their primary mode of locomotion , brachiation , involves swinging from branch to branch for distances up to 15 m ( 50 ft ) , at speeds as high as 55 km/h ( 34 mph ) . They can also make leaps up to 8 m ( 26 ft ) , and walk bipedally with their arms raised for balance . They are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling , nonflying mammals . Depending on the species and sex , gibbons ' fur coloration varies from dark to light brown shades , and any shade between black and white , though a completely white gibbon is rare . Gibbon species include the siamang , the white-handed or lar gibbon , and the hoolock gibbons .
Apes ( Hominoidea ) are a branch of Old World tailless simians native to Africa and Southeast Asia . They are the sister group of the Old World monkeys , together forming the catarrhine clade . They are distinguished from other primates by a wider degree of freedom of motion at the shoulder joint as evolved by the influence of brachiation . In traditional and non-scientific use , the term ape excludes humans , and is thus not equivalent to the scientific taxon Hominoidea . There are two extant branches of the superfamily Hominoidea : the gibbons , or lesser apes ; and the hominids , or great apes .
Monkey is a common name that may refer to groups or species of mammals , in part , the simians of infraorder Simiiformes . The term is applied descriptively to groups of primates , such as families of New World monkeys and Old World monkeys . Many monkey species are tree-dwelling ( arboreal ) , although there are species that live primarily on the ground , such as baboons . Most species are also active during the day ( diurnal ) . Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent , especially the Old World monkeys of Catarrhini . Simians and tarsiers emerged within haplorrhines some 60 million years ago . New World monkeys and catarrhine monkeys emerged within the simians some 35 million years ago . Old World monkeys and Hominoidea emerged within the catarrhine monkeys some 25 million years ago . Extinct basal simians such as Aegyptopithecus or Parapithecus [ 35-32 million years ago ] , eosimiidea and sometimes even the Catarrhini group are also considered monkeys by primatologists . Lemurs , lorises , and galagos are not monkeys ; instead they are strepsirrhine primates . Like monkeys , tarsiers are haplorhine primates ; however , they are also not monkeys . Apes emerged within monkeys as sister of the Cercopithecidae in the Catarrhini , so cladistically they are monkeys as well .
The Rooster ( simplified Chinese : 鸡 ; traditional Chinese : 雞/鷄 ) is the tenth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Rooster is represented by the Earthly Branch symbol 酉 . In the Tibetan zodiac and the Gurung zodiac , the bird is in place of the Rooster .
A raven is one of several larger-bodied species of the genus Corvus . These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus . There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens , and these appellations have been assigned to different species chiefly on the basis of their size , crows generally being smaller than ravens . The largest raven species are the common raven and the thick-billed raven .
The chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ) is a type of domesticated fowl , a subspecies of the red junglefowl ( Gallus gallus ) . They are one of the most common and widespread domestic animals , with a total population of more than 19 billion as of 2011 . There are more chickens in the world than any other bird or domesticated fowl . Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food ( consuming both their meat and eggs ) and , less commonly , as pets . Originally raised for cockfighting or for special ceremonies , chickens were not kept for food until the Hellenistic period ( 4th-2nd centuries BC ) . Genetic studies have pointed to multiple maternal origins in South Asia , Southeast Asia , and East Asia , but with the clade found in the Americas , Europe , the Middle East and Africa originating in the Indian subcontinent . From ancient India , the domesticated chicken spread to Lydia in western Asia Minor , and to Greece by the 5th century BC . Fowl had been known in Egypt since the mid-15th century BC , with the bird that gives birth every day having come to Egypt from the land between Syria and Shinar , Babylonia , according to the annals of Thutmose III .
Pheasants ( /ˈfɛzənt/ ) are birds of several genera within the subfamily Phasianinae , of the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes . Though they can be found world over in introduced ( and captive ) populations , the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Asia . Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism , males being highly decorated with bright colors and adornments such as wattles . Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails . Males play no part in rearing the young . Pheasants typically eat seeds and some insects . The best-known is the common pheasant , which is widespread throughout the world , in introduced feral populations and in farm operations . Various other pheasant species are popular in aviaries , such as the golden pheasant ( Chrysolophus pictus ) .
The Dog ( 狗 ) is eleventh of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Dog is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 戌 . The character 狗 , also refers to the actual animal while 戌 , also refers to the zodiac animal .
The domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris when considered a subspecies of the wolf or Canis familiaris when considered a distinct species ) is a member of the genus Canis ( canines ) , which forms part of the wolf-like canids , and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore . The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated , which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct . The dog was the first species to be domesticated , and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors , sensory capabilities , and physical attributes . Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids . Dogs vary widely in shape , size and colors . They perform many roles for humans , such as hunting , herding , pulling loads , protection , assisting police and military , companionship and , more recently , aiding disabled people and therapeutic roles . This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of man 's best friend .
Inugami ( 犬神 , dog god/spirit ) , like kitsunetsuki , is a spiritual possession by the spirit of a dog , widely known about in western Japan . They have seemed firmly rooted until recent years in the eastern Ōita Prefecture , Shimane Prefecture , and a part of Kōchi Prefecture in northern Shikoku , and it is also theorized that Shikoku , where no foxes ( kitsune ) could be found , is the main base of the inugami . Furthermore , traces of belief in inugami exists in the Yamaguchi Prefecture , all of Kyushu , even going past the Satsunan Islands all the way to the Okinawa Prefecture . In the Miyazaki Prefecture , the Kuma District , Kumamoto Prefecture , and Yakushima , the local dialect pronounces it ingami and in Tanegashima , they are called irigami . It can also be written in kanji as 狗神 .
The wolf ( Canis lupus ) , also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf , is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America . It is the largest extant member of Canidae , with males averaging 40 kg ( 88 lb ) and females 37 kg ( 82 lb ) . On average , wolves measure 105-160 cm ( 41-63 in ) in length and 80-85 cm ( 31-33 in ) at shoulder height . The wolf is also distinguished from other Canis species by its less pointed features , particularly the ears and muzzle . The wolf is nonetheless closely related enough to smaller Canis species , such as the coyote and the golden jackal , to produce fertile hybrids with them . The winter fur of a wolf is long and bushy and predominantly mottled gray , although nearly pure white , red and brown to black colours also occur . Up to 38 subspecies of wolf have been recognized including the domestic dog . The wolf is the most specialized member of the genus Canis for cooperative big game hunting , as demonstrated by its physical adaptations to tackling large prey , its more social nature , and its highly advanced expressive behaviour . It travels in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair accompanied by their offspring . Offspring may leave to form their packs on the onset of sexual maturity and in response to competition within the pack for food . Wolves are also territorial and fights over territory are among the principal causes of wolf mortality . The wolf is mainly a carnivore and feeds primarily on large wild hooved mammals , though it also eats smaller animals , livestock , carrion , and garbage .
The dhole /doʊl/ ( Cuon alpinus ) is a canid native to Central , South , East Asia , and Southeast Asia . Other English names for the species include Asian wild dog , Asiatic wild dog , Indian wild dog , whistling dog , red dog , and mountain wolf . It is genetically close to species within the genus Canis , ( Fig . 10 ) but distinct in several anatomical aspects : its skull is convex rather than concave in profile , it lacks a third lower molar and the upper molars sport only a single cusp as opposed to between two and four . During the Pleistocene , the dhole ranged throughout Asia , Europe , and North America but became restricted to its historical range 12,000-18,000 years ago . The dhole is a highly social animal , living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females . Such clans usually consist of 12 individuals , but groups of over 40 are known . It is a diurnal pack hunter which preferentially targets medium- and large-sized ungulates . In tropical forests , the dhole competes with tiger and leopard , targeting somewhat different prey species , but still with substantial dietary overlap . It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN as populations are decreasing and are estimated at fewer than 2,500 adults . Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss , loss of prey , competition with other species , persecution due to livestock predation and disease transfer from domestic dogs .
The Japanese wolf ( Japanese : ニホンオオカミ ( 日本狼 ー , Hepburn : Nihon ōkami ) ( Canis lupus hodophilax ) is an extinct subspecies of the gray wolf that was once endemic to the islands of Honshū , Shikoku , and Kyūshū in the Japanese archipelago . It is also known as the Honshū wolf . Its binomial name derives from the Greek Hodos ( path ) and phylax ( guardian ) , in reference to Japanese folklore , which portrayed wolves as the protectors of travellers . It was one of two subspecies that were once found in the Japanese archipelago , the other being the Hokkaido wolf .
The Pig ( 豬 ) is the twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in Chinese zodiac , in relation to the Chinese calendar and system of horology , and paralleling the system of ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches . Although the term zodiac ( etymologically referring to a [ circle of ] little animals ) is used in the phrase Chinese zodiac , there is a major difference between the Chinese usage and Western astrology : the zodiacal animals ( including the zodiacal Pig ) do not relate to the zodiac as the area of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south ( as measured in celestial latitude ) of the ecliptic , the apparent path of the Sun , the Moon , and visible planets across the celestial sphere 's constellations , over the course of the year . In Chinese astrology , zodiacal animals refer to fixed cycles of twelve animals . The same cycle of twelve is used for cycles of years and cycles of hours . In the case of years , the cycle of twelve corresponds to the twelve-year cycle of Jupiter . In the case of the hours , the twelve hours represent twelve double-hours for each period of night and day . In the continuous sexagenary cycle of sixty years , every twelfth year corresponds to hai , 亥 ( the twelfth of the twelve Earthly Branches ) ; this re-recurring twelfth year is commonly called the Year of the Pig ( 豬年 ) . There are five types of Pigs , named after the Chinese elements . In order , they are : Metal , Water , Wood , Fire , and Earth . These correspond to the Heavenly Stems . Thus , there are five pig years in every sexegenary cycle . For example , in the year 2019 , the Earthly Branch is the twelfth , hài , and the Heavenly Stem is the sixth , jǐ 己 .
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus , within the even-toed ungulate family Suidae . Pigs include domestic pigs and their ancestor , the common Eurasian wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) , along with other species . Related creatures outside the genus include the peccary , the babirusa , and the warthog . Pigs , like all suids , are native to the Eurasian and African continents . Juvenile pigs are known as piglets . Pigs are highly social and intelligent animals . With around 1 billion individuals alive at any time , the domestic pig is among the most populous large mammals in the world . Pigs are omnivores and can consume a wide range of food . Pigs are biologically similar to humans and are thus frequently used for human medical research .
The domestic pig ( Sus scrofa domesticus or only Sus domesticus ) , often called swine , hog , or simply pig when there is no need to distinguish them from other pigs , is a domesticated large , even-toed ungulates . They are variously considered a subspecies of the Eurasian boar or a distinct species . The domestic pig 's head-plus-body-length ranges from 0.9 to 1.8 m ( 35 to 71 in ) , and adult pigs typically weigh between 50 and 350 kg ( 110 and 770 lb ) , with well-fed individuals often exceeding this weight range . The size and weight of hogs largely depends on their breed . Compared to other artiodactyls , a pig 's head is relatively long , pointed , and free of warts . Even-toed ungulates are generally herbivorous , but the domestic pigs are omnivores , like their wild relative . When used as livestock , domestic pigs are farmed primarily for the consumption of their flesh , called pork . The animal 's bones , hide , and bristles are also used in commercial products . Domestic pigs , especially miniature breeds , are kept as pets .
The wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) , also known as the wild swine , Common wild pig , or simply wild pig , is a suid native to much of the Americas , Eurasia , North Africa , and the Greater Sunda Islands . Human intervention has spread its distribution further , making the species one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world , as well as the most widely spread suiform . Its wide range , high numbers , and adaptability mean that it is classed as least concern by the IUCN and it has become an invasive species in part of its introduced range . The animal probably originated in Southeast Asia during the Early Pleistocene , and outcompeted other suid species as it spread throughout the Old World . As of 1990 , up to 16 subspecies are recognized , which are divided into four regional groupings based on skull height and lacrimal bone length . The species lives in matriarchal societies consisting of interrelated females and their young ( both male and female ) . Fully grown males are usually solitary outside the breeding season . The grey wolf , coyote , american alligator , jaguar , bobcat , lynx , cougar , and black bear , and brown bear is the wild boar 's main predators in the world , throughout most of its range , except in the Far East and the Lesser Sunda Islands , where it is replaced by the tiger , leopard , asiatic lion , and Komodo dragon , respectively . It has a long history of association with humans , having been the ancestor of most domestic pig breeds and a big-game animal for millennia . Boars have also re-hybridized in recent decades with feral pigs ; these boar-pig hybrids have become a serious pest wild animal in Australia , Canada , United States , and Mexico .