Odd-toed ungulates, comprising the order Perissodactyla, are large, herbivorous mammals characterized by an odd number of functional toes on each hind foot, with the main limb axis passing through the third digit (mesaxonic condition). Extant members include horses and donkeys (family Equidae), rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae), and tapirs (Tapiridae). They possess hindgut fermentation with an enlarged cecum and colon for cellulose digestion, typically have simple stomachs, and show specialized dentition for grazing or browsing. Perissodactyls exhibit cursorial or semi-cursorial limb morphology and have experienced substantial historical diversity, though their extant diversity is relatively limited and several species are conservation-dependent or critically endangered.
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