Camelid

Camelid
Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Mammalia
Sub-class	Theriiformes
Infra-class	Holotheria
Order Information
Superorder	Preptotheria
Order	Artiodactyla
Sub-order	Tylopoda
Family Information
Superfamily	Cameloidea
Family	Camelidae
Population statistics

Camelid refers to several species of the order Artiodactyla, suborder Tylopoda, and characterized from other species of that order by the presence of padded feet instead of true hooves. Representing the family Camelidae, living species are in two genera: Camelus, the camels of Asia and Africa; and Lama, the South American llama, alpaca, vicuña, and guanaco.

Description

Camelids differ from other hoofed mammals of Artiodactyla in that the body load rests on sole pads, with the nail-end the only part of the hoof to actually contact the ground. The tensor skin, located between the thigh and body, and present on every other ungulate, is absent on camelids; the result is a long-legged, lanky appearance. In walking they use an ambling gait similar to bears, giraffes and elephants.

The neck is long and curved, the upper lip is cleft in the middle, in contrast to other Artiodactyla species.

Living species

• Family Camelidae

Subfamily Camelinae

Tribe Camelini

Genus: Camelus

Arabian camel, Camelus dromedarius

Bactrian camel, Camelus bactrianus

Tribe Lamini

Genus: Lama

Guanaco, Lama guanicoe

Llama, Lama glama

Genus: Vicugna

Alpaca, Vicugna pacos

Vicuña, Vicugna vicugna

External links

• Animal Diversity Web