The horse belongs to which taxonomic order?

• A. Perissodactyla
• B. Artiodactyla
• C. Carnivora
• D. Primates

Answer: (A)

Horses are odd-toed ungulates, a group defined by having an odd number of toes that bear weight and a limb structure centered on the middle toe. This places them in the order Perissodactyla, which includes other animals like zebras and tapirs. The main distinguishing feature is the single major weight-bearing toe (the third digit) with the other toes reduced, leading to the hoofed foot seen in horses.

The other groups don’t fit because:

• Artiodactyla includes even-toed ungulates (like cows and deer) that bear weight on two or four toes, not the single central toe of horses.

• Carnivora comprises meat-eating mammals with non-hoofed feet and different dental and skeletal adaptations.

• Primates are typically non-hoofed, with adaptations for grasping hands and feet, not weight-bearing hooves.