Even-Toed Ungulates
Author: Ray Bowers

Description:
Artiodactyls come in many different sizes. They can be as short as a deer mouse (8.0 to 13.0 in or as tall as a giraffe (8 to 12 ft. tall). They can weigh as little as the deer mouse (5 ˝ to 10 lbs) or as much as a hippopotamus (4 ˝ tons)!

All artiodatyls walk on four legs with an even number of toes (which is why they are named artiodactyla, which means “even-toed”). Their canine teeth may be very small, lost or enlarged as tusks. Their molar teeth vary, but they are all well adapted for grinding. Their stomachs may have two to four chambers, which helps them digest plant material.

Geographic range:
Artiodatyls are native to all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Fourteen species are found in North America and seven are native to New Mexico.

Habitat:
All artiodactyls are terrestrial, although the hippopotamus spends most of its life in the water. They live in the arctic, in the tropical jungles, in mountains, and sea-level swamps. In New Mexico artiodactyls are found in all terrestrial habitats.

Food Web:
Artiodactyls feed by grazing and browsing on plants. Pigs, peccary and javelina (all members of the suborder Suina) will also feed on animals. Deer and goats (all members of the suborder Ruminantia) chew on cud (ruminate). These animals chew food that they have already swallowed and have digested in the stomach. Large carnivores are the number one predator of Artiodatyls.

Reproduction and Development:
Artiodactyla can mate anywhere from late summer to late winter. The amount of time it takes for a artiodatyl to fully develop varies from 145 to 250 days. Young artiodatyls are able to walk and keep up with their mother shortly after birth.

Behavior:
The artiodactyls are mainly grazing and browsing mammals. Bison are a perfect example of an artiodatyl. They used to form large herds on the short-grass prairies, but most are found in small herds. There are two different kinds of herds, females and young and males. During the mating season the males establish and defend territories. They defend their territories through vocalizations, and if that doesn't work they fight each other. Artiodactyls that live in mountains will often move to lower elevations during the winter.

Ecosystem roles:
Artiodactyls are the largest native herbivores in New Mexico and require large territories. If they are restricted to small areas they can overgraze that area. Overgrazing has often occurred with some of the introduced artiodactyls such as sheep or cattle. The native artiodactyls are preyed upon by larger carnivores .

• The stomachs of artiodactyls have microscopic organisms that help them digest plant material.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla

There are seven native artiodactyls in New Mexico, divided into three families.

Tayassuidae: peccary or javelina
Cervidae: deer and elk
Bovidae: big horn sheep, bison, and pronghorn antelop

References:
Cockrum, E. Lendell; and Yar Petryszyn. 1992. Mammals of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. Tucson: Treasure Chest Publications, 192 p.

Findley, James S. 1987. The Natural History of New Mexican Mammals. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 164 p.

Findley, James S.; Arthur H. Harris; Don E. Wilson; and Clyde Jones. 1975. Mammals of New Mexico. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 360 p.

Noeman, David. 1994. Prehistoric Life. USA: Macmillal, Inc.

Nowak, Ronald M. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2 vols.

Related Terms: artiodactyla, artiodatyls