noun
- An order of hoofed mammals with an odd number of toes on their hind feet, including horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs.
Usage: plural form; zoological term; also called odd-toed ungulates
Examples
- Horses and zebras are perissodactyls with a single hoof on each foot.
- Rhinoceroses belong to the order of perissodactyls.
- Tapirs are among the most unusual perissodactyls found in tropical regions.
- Perissodactyls have been declining in diversity compared to artiodactyls over millions of years.
- The fossil record shows that perissodactyls were once far more abundant and diverse than they are today.