Horse Origins Flashcards
Fossils of the horse family think they roamed the earth as far back as
60 million years
The modern horse is a member of what family?
Equidae
The earliest horses had how many toes on each foot
4
The horse is a (herbivore
Herbivore and simple stomached non-ruminant animal
What is the names of the first true horse
Equus
The horse and it’s close relatives are the only
Single toed animals in the world
Eohippus
58 million years ago
4 toes in front 3yoes and a splint on hind
About size of beagle or house cat
Teeth were low crowned
Mesohippus
38 million years
3 toes but middle toe bigger
Size of mini horse
Browsing animal
Teeth were low crowned
Merychippus
28 million years
3 toes side toes did not touch the ground
Size of Shetland pony
Grass eater
High crowned teeth and hard surfaced
Pliohippus
12 million year
1 toe
Forerunner of the modern horse
Pony size
Grazing animal
High crowned teeth
Equus
Modern horse
1 million years
Full sized
Grazing
High crowned teeth
Horse were being used for work by humans about
5,000 years ago
Horses have been used throughout history for
Food
Transportation
Work
War
Recreation
What is scientific nomenclature
The naming system by which all plants and animals are classified and given scientific names
The zoological classification of the modern horse
Kingdom: animalia
Phylum: chordata
Class: mammalia
Order: perissodactyla
Family: equidae
Genus: Equus
Species: Equus cabellus
