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Cervidae
Deer, moose & relatives
12
Number of resurrected species:
Family
Order
Class
Cervidae
Artiodactyla
Mammalia
Description
The Cervidae family is an still extant family of hoofed animals that consists of deer, moose, reindeer and many others. They are mostly characterised by their large variety of antlers, which they shed seasonally. Cervids are primarily browsers, feeding on grasses, bushes, trees and even lichens. They primarily live in small to large herds in large wooded areas, like woodlands, taiga and tropical rainforests.
Distribution & Fossil evidence
The first members of the Cervidae family were antlerless, tusked animals that resembled modern day duikers. During the Oligocene, the family evolved in many different species due to the formation of the Alps and the Himalayas, creating many different habitats. Eventually, the family spread to most parts of the world, except for Oceania and Antarctica.
Species
There are many species of extant and extinct cervid that evolved many different shapes and sizes of antlers.
Included genera
Cervalces, Candiacervus, Megaloceros
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