Which order do elephants belong to?

Which order do elephants belong to?

• A. Carnivora
• B. Perissodactyla
• C. Artiodactyla
• D. Proboscidea

Answer: (D)

Classification of mammals into different orders is about shared evolutionary traits. Elephants are placed in the order Proboscidea because their most distinctive feature is the trunk, a muscular extension of the nose and upper lip used for feeding, drinking, and manipulating objects. This trait is unique to this group and gives the order its name (proboscis). The other orders represent different kinds of mammals: Perissodactyla includes odd-toed, hoofed ungulates like horses and rhinoceroses; Artiodactyla includes even-toed ungulates like cows, deer, and camels; Carnivora covers meat-eating mammals with specialized diets and teeth. Elephants are not hoofed and lack the adaptations of those orders, so their proper classification is Proboscidea.

Classification of mammals into different orders is about shared evolutionary traits. Elephants are placed in the order Proboscidea because their most distinctive feature is the trunk, a muscular extension of the nose and upper lip used for feeding, drinking, and manipulating objects. This trait is unique to this group and gives the order its name (proboscis). The other orders represent different kinds of mammals: Perissodactyla includes odd-toed, hoofed ungulates like horses and rhinoceroses; Artiodactyla includes even-toed ungulates like cows, deer, and camels; Carnivora covers meat-eating mammals with specialized diets and teeth. Elephants are not hoofed and lack the adaptations of those orders, so their proper classification is Proboscidea.