Evolution of The Horse
By Anna Genova
Evolution of The Modern Day Horse
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/horse/the-evolution-of-horses
Ancestors of The Modern Day Horse
- Mesohippus 45 kg
- Merychippus 100 kg
- Nannippus 75 kg
- Equus 500 kg - modern day horse
The Mesohippus and Nannippus may have looked similar to the Equus but they were much smaller and could be found scampering around the forest. While Merychippus and Equus were found grazing in the plains. The organs of the smaller Mesohippus and Nannippus were probably much different than the larger Merychippus and Equus because their sizes were so varried and the 2 smaller species were use to eating foliage from the forest. Also, Mesohippus, Merychippus, and Nannipus did not have hooves like the Equus.
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/horse/the-evolution-of-horses
Other Species in Clade
Procamelus - a camel relative
Gomphotheriuma - distant relative of true elephants
Teleoceras - a hornless rhinoceros
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/horse/the-evolution-of-horses
Evolution Evidence
The morphology of horses is still very similar they are just much larger with hooves. Their eating habits are different along with their organs so they can survive on their new eating habits.
Artificial selection has played a big part in horse evolution because breeders make horses for certain tasks so they breed the horses for certain things. such as racing or farming