What is "even-toed ungulate"

n. placental mammal having hooves with an even number of functional toes on each foot [syn: artiodactyl, artiodactyl mammal] [ant: odd-toed ungulate]

The even-toed ungulates (order Artiodactyla) are ungulates (hoofed animals) whose weight is borne approximately equally by the third and fourth toes, in contrast to odd-toed ungulates, such as horses, whose weight is borne primarily by the third toe. The name Artiodactyla comes from the Greek ἄρτιος (ártios), "even", and δάκτυλος (dáktylos), "finger/toe"; so the name "even-toed" is a translation of the order name. The aquatic Cetaceans evolved from even-toed ungulate ancestors, and modern taxonomic classification therefore subsumes Artiodactyla and Cetacea into Cetiartiodactyla.

The roughly 220 artiodactyl species include pigs, peccaries, hippopotamuses, whales, camels, llamas, alpacas, mouse deer, deer, giraffes, antelopes, sheep, goats, and cattle, many of which are of great dietary, economic, and cultural importance to humans.