Table of Contents
Pronghorn are ungulates (hoofed animals) and related to goats and antelope. They have the body shape of a deer with long legs, short tail, and a long snout.
What animals are related to antelope?
antelope, any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals belonging to the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla). Antelopes account for over two-thirds of the approximately 135 species of hollow-horned ruminants (cud chewers) in the family Bovidae, which also includes cattle, sheep, and goats.
What are pronghorn antelope related to?
Yet the male (buck) pronghorn’s horns can grow to be 10 inches (25 centimeters) long with a forward-facing prong. Hence its name: pronghorn. Female pronghorn (called does) also have horns, but they are much smaller. Pronghorn are the only animals in the world that have forked horns that shed each year!
Deer are different from one species to another in the Cervidae family, whereas pronghorns are the one and the only living member of their family. Pronghorns are native to America, but deer are found everywhere. Deer inhabit a vast range of habitats while pronghorns primarily live in grasslands.
What are male pronghorn called?
bucks
The scientific name for a pronghorn is Antilocapra americana. They are the only surviving member of the Antilocapridae family. Pronghorns are often called prongbuck, pronghorned antelope, or American antelope. Males are called bucks.
What eats the pronghorn?
Wolves, cougars, bears, and even eagles all prey upon pronghorn from time to time, but it is the coyote that kills more individuals than any other, especially in the northern range of Yellowstone National Park.
Are pronghorn antelope true antelope?
The pronghorn antelope is the rarest and least known hoofed mammal classified as a game species in the state of Washington. Although often simply called antelope, pronghorns are not true antelope at all.
Are pronghorn related to deer?
Deer are different from one species to another in the Cervidae family, whereas pronghorns are the one and the only living member of their family. Pronghorns are native to America, but deer are found everywhere.
Is the pronghorn the fastest animal?
Pronghorn are famous for their great running speed. They are the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, reaching speeds as fast as 55 mph. The cheetah (not native to the Western Hemisphere) is considered the fastest land mammal. The pronghorn is a very poor jumper and can often be seen crawling under fences.
Although it is known as the ‘American antelope’, it is only distantly related to the ‘true’ antelopes found in Africa and Eurasia. The physical similarities between the pronghorn and antelopes can be explained by ‘parallel evolution’ – the process by which unrelated animals with similar lifestyles come to resemble one another.
What kind of body does a pronghorn have?
Pronghorn are ungulates (hoofed animals) and related to goats and antelope. They have the body shape of a deer with long legs, short tail, and a long snout. The fur is a reddish-brown color, but it can also be tan or darker brown.
How is the pronghorn related to the giraffe?
This is due to convergent evolution, a process where unrelated species evolve similar traits to thrive in similar environments. The Pronghorn is the only living member of the family antilocapridae and is most closely related to the giraffe!
What’s the name of the Antelope that sheds its horns?
Pronghorn (noun) An American antelope (Antilocapra Americana), native of the plain near the Rocky Mountains. The upper parts are mostly yellowish brown; the under parts, the sides of the head and throat, and the buttocks, are white. The horny sheath of the horns is shed annually. Called also cabrée, cabut, prongbuck, and pronghorned antelope.