Odd-Toed Vs Even-Toed Ungulates

The world of ungulate animals is divided in to three groups, with two groups being the most talked about.   The odd-toed, the even-toed ungulates and the sub-ungulates.  The ungulates are more simply known as the animals with hooves and they are primarily grouped on the way they stand and bear their weight on their toes.

The even-toed ungulates bear their weight on two of their toes equally and odd-toed ungulates bear their weight on just one toe.  This doesn't mean that they only have one or two toes, but their footing has evolved to have their weight bearing toes larger and more sturdy.  As for the other toes... well they vary from species to species.  Some ungulates have the other toes pointing backwards, others only have vestigial remnants of other toes, and for some their are actually absent.  The even-toed and odd-toed ungulates do vary as well in digestion with the odd-toed digesting in the intestines and the even-toed digesting in one of their stomachs. Below we have listed some of the ungulates in their groups!

Even-Toed Ungulates:

• Goats
• Sheep
• Antelope
• Giraffes
• Lamas
• Alpacas
• Hippos
• Pigs
• Deer
• Mouse Deer

Odd- Toed Ungulates:

• Horses
• Asses
• Tapirs
• Zebras
• Rhinos

Sub- Ungulates:

• Elephants
• Sea Cows
• Dugongs
• Manatees
• Hyraxes