- Perissodactyla are odd-toed ungulates that include horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses. They evolved during the Paleocene epoch around 60 million years ago. - There are 3 families within Perissodactyla: Equidae (horses and related species), Tapiridae (tapirs), and Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses). - Rhinoceroses have thick skin, are herbivores, and have either one or two horns made of keratin. There are 5 extant rhinoceros species that are endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.

1. PERISSODACTYLA
1

2. UNGULATE
• Hoofed mammal
• Hoof – modified nail
• Even-toed or Odd-toed Ungulates
• Evolved during Paleocene epoch of Cenozoic era (age of mammals) –
60 m ya
• Elephants, hyraxes and sea cows – Paenungulates
• Relatively large animals
• Mostly terrestrial herbivores
• Unique digestive system
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3. 3
Fig 1. Difference in hoof numbers in various hoofed mammals

4. ARTIODACTYLA
• Even-toed ungulates
• Deer, Antelope, Cattle, Sheep,
Goats, Pigs, Chevrotains,
Musk Deer
• Rumination
• 60 % cellulose digestion
efficiency
PERISSODACTYLA
• Odd-toed ungulates
• Wild Horses, Wild Ass,
Rhinoceros
• Hindgut fermentation
• 45 % cellulose digestion
efficiency
4

5. PERISSODACTYLA
Region Families Genera Species
World 3 6 16
South
Asia
3 4 6
India 2 3 4
5
Table 1. Number of species, genera and families of perissodactyla
across the world

6. PERISSODACTYLA
Region Tapiridae Equidae Rhinocerotidae
World 4 7 5
South Asia 1 2 5
India 0 2 2
6
Table 2. Distribution of families of perissodactyla across the world

7. TAPIRIDAE
Rounded back and hindquarters
Tapering forequarters and nose
Short
Muscular legs, Dark colour, Thick skin
180 - 300cm
Indo - Malayan and Neotropical Region
Associated with water and riparian environment
Tapirs – living fossils
Forefoot – 4 digits ; Hindfoot – 3digits
7

8. 1. Lowland Tapir - Tapirus terrestris
(VU)
2. Central American Tapir - Tapirus
bairdii (EN)
3. Mountain Tapir - Tapirus
pinchaque (EN)
4. Malayan Tapir - Tapirus indicus (EN)
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9. 9
THREATS
Low
reproduction
rate
Habitat loss
Fragmentation
Hunting
Medicinal
purpose
Low
population
density

10. EQUIDAE
Specialized grazers –
horses, zebras, and asses
Palearctic and afro tropical
region
Single toe enclosed in hoof
Long incisors and
specialized molars
Social animals
Gallop with a grace and
power which is unique – 45-
50km/ hr.
Horny cushion covers the
heels – shock absorber
Single cannon bone
Presence of diastema
Presence of chestnut
10

11. 11
Fig 2. The skeletal structure of limbs of various mammals

12. 12
Fig 3. Chestnut in equids

13. 13Fig 4. Diastema in Przewalski horse

14. 14
Fig 5. Stay apparatus in horse

15. 15
Common Name / IUCN Status Scientific Name
Przewalski Horse (Caballines) - CR Equus przewalski
Asiatic Wild Ass (Non- caballines)
NT
Equus hemionus
Tibetan Wild Ass - LC Equus kiang
African Wild Ass - CR Equus africanus
Mountain Zebra - VU Equus zebra
Plain Zebra - LC Equus quagga
Grevy’s Zebra - EN Equus grevyii
Table 3. Common name, scientific name and IUCN status of equids

16. 1.Przewalski Horse
2.Asiatic Wild Ass
3.Tibetan Wild Ass
4.African Wild Ass
5.Plain Zebra
6.Grevy’s Zebra
7.Mountain Zebra
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17. WILD HORSE V/S DOMESTIC HORSE?
17

18. 18

19. PRZEWALSKI HORSE
• Uniform dusty color on the body and flanks
• Belly-face are yellowish white
• Grazers – Steppe vegetation
• Permanent herd
• Limited to small populations that have been reintroduced to the Khustain
Nuruu National Park, Takhin Tal and Khomin Tal Nature Reserves of
Mongolia, Ka La Mai Li Shan Nature Reserve of China
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20. 20

21. ASIATIC WILD ASS
Indian Wild Ass : Equus hemionus khur
Known as Onager
Near Threatened, Schedule 1
North China, India, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran,
Israel, Saudi Arabia
Little Rann of Kutch
Xeric habitat - Salt mudflats, scrublands, grasslands
Cyperus, Andropogon, Dichanthium, Aristida etc.
Eat seed pods – Prosopis, Salvadora – dry period
21

22. • Males usually defend only their land
• Five distinct groupings
Dominant stallion and breeding bands of
adult females
Females and young
Young male groups
Territorial solitary stallions
Old male groups
• Zig-zag territorial marking
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23. 23

24. TIBETAN WILD ASS
• Least Concern, Schedule 1
• Endemic to Tibetan Plateau of Central Asia –
2700-5300m
• Alpine meadow, alpine steppe, desert steppe
• Stipa, Kobresia, Carex, Poa, Elymus species
• Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim
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25. AFRICAN WILD ASS
• Ancestor of the domestic donkey
• Forelimbs are shorter than hindlimbs
• Narrow hooves
• Stripe along the back is narrow
• Somali wild ass – zebra like stripes on its
legs
• Gray coat dorsally
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26. RHINOCEROTIDAE
Large mammal with distinct horns
Rhinoceros literally means ‘ nose horn’ in Greek
Long ears tipped with hair, three toes, small tail, thick skin, skin folds
240 – 500cm
Afrotropical and Indo-Malayan region
Tropical montane, lowland and mangrove forests, short grassland, tall alluvial
grassland, savanna, woodlands, semi-desert and scrub
26

27. • Lack a bony core
• Only tiny keratin tubes
dispersed in keratin matrix
• Dense central area –
calcium and melanin
27

28. COPE’S RULE ?
28

29. • Prehensile lower lip – pluck leaves and stems
• Unique skull, boneless horn
• Broad feet with 3 toes
• Premolars are more like molars, crowns of the teeth cheek
lengthened, complex enamel patterns
29

30. RHINOCEROTIDAE
30

31. 1. White Rhinoceros
2. Black Rhinoceros
3. Greater One-horned
Rhinoceros
4. Javan Rhinoceros
5. Sumatran Rhinoceros
31

32. ASIAN RHINOS
• Small horn
• Presence of tusk in lower jaw
• One horn except Sumatran
Rhinoceros
AFRICAN RHINOS
• Large horn
• Absence of tusk in lower jaw
• Two horns
32

33. Table 4. Common name, Scientific name, IUCN status and distribution of Rhinoceros species
COMMON NAME
/IUCN Status
SCIENTIFIC NAME DISTRIBUTION
Black Rhinoceros
CR
Diceros bicornis Eastern and Southern Africa
White Rhinoceros
NR
Ceratotherium simum Africa
Sumatran Rhinoceros
CR
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis Islands of Sumatra,
and Sabah, Borneo
Javan Rhinoceros
CR
Rhinoceros sondaicus Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatran
islands
Greater One-horned
Rhinoceros
VU
Rhinoceros unicornis India, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Nepal
33

34. 34
BLACK WHITE
JAVAN
SUMATRAN

35. 35

36. Greater One-horned Rhinoceros
• 5th largest terrestrial mammal
• Vulnerable, Schedule 1
• Nepal and India
• Flood plains of river Brahmaputra,
Gangetic and Indus river valley
• Follows same walking path or
dandies when foraging
• Same spot to defecate
36

37. • Solitary animals
• Tallest grasslands
• 8m tall Elephant grasses, Saccharum
spontaneum, Themeda, Narenga
• Browse during winter – Callicarpa, Cassia tora,
Xanthium, Trewia fruits
• Fruits of 23 species of herbaceous and woody
plants
• Wallowing
• Horn – 25cm
37

38. 10 different forms of vocalization –
oSnort
oHonk
oBleat
oRoar
oSqueak-pant
oMoo-grunt
Males - Neck musculature, mandibular incisors to tusks
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40. SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS
Southeast Asia, Borneo, Sumatra,
Peninsular Malaysia
2 small horns, hairy ear, hairy reddish
brown skin,
Lowland semi-evergreen forest to high
elevation cloud forest
Rediscovered from Arunachal Pradesh
40

41. CONSERVATION
Low
reproduction
rate
Poaching
Loss of
habitat
Dagger
handles
Powdered
horn
Fever
depressant,
aphrodisiac
41

42. 42
Fig 6. Value of Rhino horn in comparison with gold, silver, cocaine, heroin

43. REFERENCE
 Rubenstein, D. I., Dinerstein, E., and Medici, E.P. 2011.
Perissodactyla. In: Wilson, D. E., and Mittermeier, R.A. 9eds),
Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 2. Hoofed Mammals.
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, pp. 106-182.
 Menon, V. 2014. Indian mammals a Field Guide. Hachette Book
Publishing, India.
 Dinerstein, E. 2015. Greater One-horned Rhinoceros. In: Johnsingh,
A. J. T. and Manjrekar, N. Mammals of South Asia Vol. 2.,
Universities Press, India, pp. 95-112.
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