2. • Camels belong to order Artiodactyla:
• Even-toed mammals or Hoofed mammals.
• Have true horns with bony horn core.
• Metacarpals and metatarsals are fused to form a long
bone called the cannon bone.
3. • Premolars are simpler in outline than molars.
• Double pulley astragalus bone is present in hind limbs, which
helps in leaping habit.
• Artiodactyla has three suborders:
• Suina (Hippopotamidae, Suidae and Tayassuidae (wild pigs of
S America).
• Ruminantia (Tragulidae, Cervidae, Bovidae, Giraffidae,
Antilocapridae.
• Suborder Tylopoda (Camelidae containing two genera:
Camelus and Llama).
4. Evidently, North America was the major
center of dispersal and evolution of
camels. They were common in North
America in late Eocene.
7. Protylopus
• The earliest known camel, lived in North America 40 to 50
myr (during Eocene).
• The dental formula of Protylopus is 3143/3143=44.
• It had four toes.
• The diastema was absent in Protylopus.
• Size equal to pig.
8. Protomeryx
• Protomeryx lived in Oligocene of North America.
• It was a two toed camel.
• Dental formula was 3143/3143=44. However the 1st
and
2nd
incisor were supposed in the upper jaw.
• Two other side branches evolved from Protomeryx
along with Procamelus.
• These branches are Stenomylus and Alticamelus.
• Both Stenomylus and Alticamelus became extinct
without further radiation.
9. Stenomylus
• Stenomylus originated from Protomeryx in Miocene
of North America.
• Stenomylus had small legs.
• It was very similar to the present day Gazella.
• It was a very fast running camel.
• It have primitive mammalian dentition,
3143/3143=44.
• It was a progressive camel in the development of
post orbital bar.
10. Procamelus
• Miocene of North America.
• The metacarpels and metatarsus were fused to form a large
bone called “cannon” bone.
• This cannon bone has a separate articulation with 2 digits.
• In Procamelus the reduction in dentition took place and two
incisors have been lost.
• Dental formula: 1143/3143=40
• In place of incisors there developed a horny pad working
against spoon shaped incisors.
• Procamelus gave rise to Pliauchenia.
11. Alticamelus
• Alticamelus was a large camel with thin long legs.
• It had large body size similar to present day giraffe
and also called as Giraffe-camel.
• Alticamelus was adapted for browsing on tall trees.
• Alticamelus has been considered as a progressive
camel not due to its large body size, but due to
reduction in incisors.
• The dental formula of Alticamelus is 1143/3143=40.
13. Pliauchenia
• The fossils of Pliauchenia have been discovered
from Pliocene of North America.
• This camel is smaller than Procamelus in general
body size and did not have hump.
• There was reduction in the number of incisors and
premolars in the upper jaw and also in incisor of the
lower jaw.
• Dental formula: 1123/3133=34
14. Camelops
• The last native camel in N America was Camelops
hesternus.
• Extinct along with horses, short-faced bears,
mammoths and mastodons, ground sloths, saber tooth
cats, and many other megafauna coinciding with the
migration of humans from Asia.
16. Llama
Two species of Llama:
1.Llama vicugna
2.Llama lama
•Llama vicugna live in mountains and rocks and Llama lama live
in deserts and in groups comprising to females and a single male
that hold a territory.
•Llama is smaller in size as compared to the camel.
•Llama do not have hump.
•They have long hairs to protect themselves from cold conditions.
18. • Camelus has two species: C. dromidarius (single humped
camel) and C. bacterianus (double humped camels), found
in Old World.
• They have longer hairs for cold climate and live in deserts
and mountains.
• They live in groups up to 10 females and one male and
make a territory (Individuals, pairs and groups restrict
themselves in a definite area called a territory.
• Camels are larger than lama.
Camels
19. • The walk of camel is known as “rock” and is similar to
giraffe; fore and hind limbs of one side leave the ground
together.
• Hooves are absent; they were present in camels in the
past. In place of hooves, nails are present.
• Lateral digits are present. Carpals and metatarsals are
also absent.
• Feet spread sideways to help camels walk on soft sand.
• Upper incisors are reduced, while in other ruminants, they
are completely lost. Lower incisors are very strong, broad
and spoon shaped.
Camels
24. Evolutionary Trends of Camels
• Reduction of incisor and premolars.
• Browser to grazer.
• Formation of hump.
• Formation of cannon bone.
• Increase size.
• Foot spread side ways to help camel on soft sand.
• Hooves replaced by nails and a pad.
• Absence of hooves in living Camels.
• Close post orbital bar.
