Junior Horse Bowl
Section E - Evolution of the Horse
Classification of the Horse
Kingdom: Animalia
(animals collectively)
Phylum: Chordata
(animals with a backbone)
Class: Mammalia
(warm-blooded, live young suckled by dam.)
Order: Perissodactyla
(non-ruminant, hoofed mammals)
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
(horses, asses, and zebras)
Species: caballus
(longer mane and tail, larger hoofs, more arched neck, smaller head, shorter ears)
Kingdom: Animalia
(animals collectively)
Phylum: Chordata
(animals with a backbone)
Class: Mammalia
(warm-blooded, live young suckled by dam.)
Order: Perissodactyla
(non-ruminant, hoofed mammals)
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
(horses, asses, and zebras)
Species: caballus
(longer mane and tail, larger hoofs, more arched neck, smaller head, shorter ears)
EOHIPPUS - "Dawn Horse"
When:
Eocene Epoch, about 50 million years ago. It lived in the Northern hemisphere (in Asia, Europe, and North America). Anatomy: 12-14 inches high at the shoulder 4 toes in front, 3 toes in back Long skull with 44 long-crowned teeth Diet: Grazing herbivore that ate soft leaves and plant shoots Habitat: Forests/Woodlands in the Northern Hemisphere (Asia, Europe, N. America) Swamps and marshes |
Forest dwellers. Did not need long legs and hooves yet for running from predators.
|
Mesohippus - "Middle Horse"
When:
30 - 40 million years ago, Middle Eocene to the Early Oligocene. Common in North America
Anatomy:
About 24 inches tall 60
Longer legs than Eohippus
3 toes in front and back, primarily stood on its middle toe
Longer and larger face
Rounder eyes set wider apart and farther back to see predators better
More developed brain
Teeth were low crowned and contained a single gap behind the front teeth, where the bit now rests in the modern horse. In addition, it had another grinding tooth, making a total of six.
Diet:
Browser that fed on tender twigs and fruit
Habitat:
Woodlands/Grasslands of N. America
30 - 40 million years ago, Middle Eocene to the Early Oligocene. Common in North America
Anatomy:
About 24 inches tall 60
Longer legs than Eohippus
3 toes in front and back, primarily stood on its middle toe
Longer and larger face
Rounder eyes set wider apart and farther back to see predators better
More developed brain
Teeth were low crowned and contained a single gap behind the front teeth, where the bit now rests in the modern horse. In addition, it had another grinding tooth, making a total of six.
Diet:
Browser that fed on tender twigs and fruit
Habitat:
Woodlands/Grasslands of N. America