What does the Order Artiodactyla classification roughly translate to regarding feet?
Answer
Even-toed ungulates
The scientific term Artiodactyla, used for the Order that includes the Whitetail Deer, translates approximately to mean 'even-toed ungulates.' This translation directly refers to the characteristic foot structure shared by members of this order, where the primary weight-bearing axis of the foot falls upon two digits (the third and fourth toes). This anatomical adaptation is a core feature used by taxonomists to group species within Artiodactyla, linking species like deer, cattle, and pigs based on this shared skeletal characteristic developed through evolutionary history, regardless of differences in body size or diet.
Related Questions
What Class contains Odocoileus virginianus denoting fur and nursing young?What anatomical trait defines the Order Artiodactyla for O. virginianus?What characteristic separates Family Cervidae, like O. virginianus, from bovids?Which other deer shares the genus Odocoileus with O. virginianus?What region inspired the specific epithet virginianus for Whitetail Deer?What NatureServe security designation is globally assigned to O. virginianus?Which dietary components demonstrate the generalist feeding of O. virginianus?What Phylum classification denotes O. virginianus possesses a backbone?What does the Order Artiodactyla classification roughly translate to regarding feet?Exploiting which habitat zone contributed significantly to O. virginianus success?Which species occupies remote, heavily forested, or marshy environments compared to O. virginianus?