The odd appearance of the hyrax has caused much confusion in their past classification. Their superficial similarities to rodents lead to the mistake of linking them to the guinea pigs. Later the mistake was discovered and the group was given the equally misleading name of hyrax, which means shrew-mouse . Early this century, fossil evidence showed that hyraxes share many common features with the primitive ungulates, especially the elephants, sirenians and the aardvark. The hyraxes recently have been given their own order, Hyracoidea.
Hyraxes are small and solidly built with a short stump for a tail.
Males and females are about the same size. While the animal is running, the feet sweat and more traction for climbing results. Species in warm climates have short hair, while alpine species have long hair. Long tactile hairs are integrated with all of the fir coat for orientation dark holes. They have a dorsal gland surrounded by light colored hair that stiffen when the animal gets excited.