Equids are generally thick-skulked animals with stocky
bodies. They are heavily haired, but the length of hair is variable.
Most species have a mane on the neck and a lock of hair on the forepart
of the head known as a forelock. Some are swift runners
: these have long thin limbs with only one functional digit ( mesaxonic
). Equids walk on the tips of their toes ( undergrad
). In the equid foreleg, radius
and ulna
are united, and the ulna is greatly reduced so that all weight is born
on the radius. In the hind leg, the enlarged tibia supports the weight
and the fibula
is reduced and fused to the tibia.The family became relatively diverse during the Miocene,
with many new species appearing. By this time, equids were more truly
horse-like, having developed the typical body shape of the modern
animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment