Artiodactyl

The Artiodactyla are even-toed ungulates, an order of mammals. They have an even number of toes: two or four. For example, camelids or animals of the Giraffidae family have two toes, but hippopotami have four toes.

Cetartiodactyla is a proposed superorder of mammals Containing the orders Artiodactyla and Cetacea. Right now, Cetartiodactyla is just a synonym.

 Digestion 
Some artiodactyls are ruminants (Ruminantia and Tylopoda). They ruminate their food—they regurgitate and re-chew it. This is a very important evolutionary advance.  Their stomachs are divided into three to four sections. 

After eating, the food re-enters the mouth, where it is chewed again.  The food passes to the "fermentation chamber" (rumen and reticulum), where microbes (bacteria, protozoa, and fungi) help to break down the cellulose found in plant material. 

This form of digestion has two advantages: ruminants can digest plants that are indigestible to other species, and they can take less time in eating.  The animal spends only a short time out in the open with his head to the ground—rumination can happen later, in a sheltered area.

 Taxonomy 
 Order Artiodactyla
 Suborder Suina
 Family Suidae
 Family Tayassuidae
 Family Hippopotamidae
 Subfamily Maiaboarinae
 Suborder Tylopoda
 Family Camelidae
 Suborder Ruminantia
 Family Tragulidae
 Family Moschidae
 Family Cervidae
 Family Giraffidae
 Family Antilocapridae
 Family Bovidae

Related pages
Odd-toed ungulate

References

Other websites