About Animals: Cetaceans - The Unexpected Ungulates

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Animals Animals Animal Facts Habitat Facts Animal Pictures From Laura Klappenbach, your Guide to Animals Welcome to the Animals / Wildlife Newsletter, a twice-weekly newsletter published every Monday and Thursday by About.com's Animals / Wildlife website. For more about animals and wildlife, be sure to stop by the blog, participate in forum discussions, and browse the growing library of animal profiles. Cetaceans - The Unexpected Ungulates You may wonder why, after several entries about various hoofed mammals, we arrive suddenly at a group of mammals who not only lack hooves, but don't even have feet. The group in question--the cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises)--are introduced at this point because, despite appearances, they are close kin to the artiodactyls. See More About:  whales  dolphins  porpoises Artiodactyls - It's All About Their Stomach The most diverse of all living ungulate groups are the Artiodactyla, more commonly known as "artiodactyls" or "even-toed hoofed mammals". There are about 225 living species of artiodactyls spread out over a vast range that includes every continent except Antarctica (their presence in Australia and New Zealand is the result of human introduction). See More About:  artiodactyls  even-toed-hoofed mammals  mammals The New Ungulates These days, ungulates (Order Ungulata) just aren't what they used to be. Once considered to be a rather predictable bunch, ungulates were traditionally identified by their herbivorous nature and their hooven feet. See More About:  ungulates  mammals  hoofed mammals Aardvarks - Not To Be Confused With Anteaters The aardvark is the only surviving member of the Orycteropodidae, a family of mammals that once included nearly a dozen different species. The aardvark is one of those quirky mammals that has long tormented taxonomists. At one time, aardvarks were grouped with the edentates (anteaters, tree sloths and armadillos) and pangolins (spiny anteaters). But now, scientists classify aardvarks amongst the ungulates. See More About:  aardvarks  edentates  ungulates Animals / Wildlife Ads Animals Animals in Zoos Wild Life Animals All Extinct Animals Animals for Media Featured Articles Fishers Suffer Significant Declines Rare Gibbons Discovered in Vietnam Rare Crocodiles At Risk Polar Bears' Irish Ancestors Nesting Birds Avoid Chipmunk Chatter Penguins Wave-Huddle for Warmth   More from About.com Essential Medical Tests for Women For women, certain medical tests and health screenings are recommended on a yearly basis. Learn which screenings are essential for your health, and why. More> Finding the Right Doctor Whether you need a new primary care doctor or a specialist to take care of specific symptoms, you'll want to follow these guidelines to choose the right physician for your medical care. More> This newsletter is written by: Laura Klappenbach Animals Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Animals newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Animal Pictures Chameleon Pictures Crocodilia Pictures Bird Pictures Advertisement