Equidae (sometimes known as the horse family) is the taxonomic family of horses and related

animals, including the extant horses, donkeys, and zebras, and many other species known only
from fossils. All extant species are in the genusEquus. Equidae belongs to the order Perissodactyla,
which includes the extant tapirs and rhinoceros, and several extinct families.

The term equid refers to any member of this family, including any equine.

Evolution[edit]

Main article: Evolution of the horse

Extinct equids restored to scale. Left to right: Mesohippus, Neohipparion, Eohippus, Equus
scotti and Hypohippus

The oldest known fossils assigned to Equidae date from the early Eocene, 54 million years ago.
They used to be assigned to the genus Hyracotherium, but the type species of that genus now is
regarded to be not a member of this family. The other species have been split off into different
genera. These early Equidae were fox-sized animals with three toes on the hind feet, and four on
the front feet. They were herbivorous browsers on relatively soft plants, and already adapted for
running. The complexity of their brains suggest that they already were alert and intelligent
animals.[1] Later species reduced the number of toes, and developed teeth more suited for
grinding up grasses and other tough plant food.

The family became relatively diverse during the Miocene, with many new species appearing. By
this time, equids were more truly horse-like, having developed the typical body shape of the
modern animals.[2] Many of these species bore the main weight of their bodies on their central,
third, toe, with the others becoming reduced, and barely touching the ground, if at all. The sole
surviving genus, Equus, had evolved by the early Pleistocene, and spread rapidly through the
world.[3]

Classification[edit]
Skeletons

Protorohippus

Hipparion

Equus (Przewalski's horse)

 Order Perissodactyla (In addition to Equidae, Perissodactyla includes four species
of tapir in a single genus, as well as five living species (belonging to four genera)
of rhinoceros.) indicates extinct taxa.

Family Equidae

Genus Epihippus

Genus Haplohippus

Genus Heptaconodon

Genus Eohippus

Genus Minippus

Genus Orohippus

Genus Pliolophus

Genus Protorohippus

Genus Sifrhippus

Genus Xenicohippus

Genus Eurohippus

Genus Propalaeotherium

Subfamily Anchitheriinae

Genus Anchitherium

Genus Archaeohippus

Genus Desmatippus

Genus Hypohippus

Genus Kalobatippus

Genus Megahippus

Genus Mesohippus

Genus Miohippus

Genus Parahippus
 Genus Sinohippus

Subfamily Equinae

Genus Merychippus

Genus Scaphohippus

Genus Acritohippus

Tribe Hipparionini

Genus Eurygnathohippus

Genus Hipparion

Genus Hippotherium

Genus Nannippus

Genus Neohipparion

Genus Proboscidipparion

Genus Pseudhipparion

Tribe Equini

Genus Astrohippus

Genus Calippus

Genus Dinohippus

Genus Equus (22 species, 7 extant)

Genus Hippidion

Genus Onohippidium

Genus Pliohippus

Genus Protohippus

Genus Heteropliohippus

Genus Parapliohippus