Hooved or Hoofed Animals

So, I got out the great book of knowledge to see animals I could write about now and I came across hooved animals but when I went to Google for more information, it asked me if I meant hoofed or hooved animals. A little more checking and yeah, they are the same thing, I have never used the term hoofed.  They can also be referred as ungulates another term I am not familiar with.

My next question was how many different hooved animals are there?

There are around 200 different species and over the next few weeks I will post a few of them, K am not sure how many but have made not of 20 of them.

There are two major groups of living hoofed or hooved mammals they are the Artiodactyl, or cloven-hooved ones and the Perissodactyl, or odd-toed ones, with the former being by far larger of the two groups, with over a hundred living species, including such familiar animals as sheep, goats, camels, pigs, cows, deer, and antelopes.

The term cloven-hoofed describes the type of foot structure where the hoof is divided into two or more toes, such as those in the Bovidae family which includes cattle, bison, buffalo, antelopes, sheep, and goats, are all examples of cloven-hoofed animals.

The other type has hard, keratinous coverings on their toes these include species like deer, pigs, camels, and horses. keratin, the same material as fingernails and hair. 

Also, these animals walk on the tips of their toes, and have a hard, flexible covering that protects those toes – these are the hooves. 

Hooves are an adaptation that allows animals to move efficiently on various terrains, including running and walking on rocky areas.