[ad_1]
According to a comprehensive analysis of the history of horses, in ancient times, the ancient relatives of these animals had toes, but today these extra toes have been completely lost in horses’ hooves. Scientists say the finding refutes the recent hypothesis that toes remained in horses’ hooves and supports the earlier idea that evolution eliminated toes entirely.
to report ScienceAlerta research team from the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands fossil record Perissodactyls (a hoofed creature with strange claws) were examined along with images of modern horses’ hoof prints and details of their leg bones to find out what happened to those extra toes.
Research into the history of modern horses considers changes in the shape of their hoofs to be an evolutionary development. Early horse-like ancestors or horse racehoofed feet with a soft layer on the underside, and just like today’s snouted pigs or tapirs, they had four toes on the front feet and three toes on the back feet.
Today’s perissodactyls include the family Horsemen It consists of horses, donkeys, and zebras. Today’s equines have hooves that consist of only one toe, the third toe. This finger is surrounded by a hard yet flexible keratin substance. At the bottom of the hoof, there is a V-shaped and horn-shaped shock absorber called “mid-hoof”.
In their paper, the researchers write: “Along with the modification of hypsodont type teeth (teeth with unlimited growth and long crowns) to graze or include at least some grass in the diet, and larger size, this anatomical change also served as an adaptation for life in open habitats. It is interpreted.”
Other present-day perissodactyls are proboscis pigs, which cleverly managed to retain all of their toes. Likewise, rhinoceroses, which have continued to perform well, but over time have lost their fourth front toe, leaving only three on each foot.
[ad_2]
Source link
