| Ruminantia | |
|---|---|
| |
| White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| clade: | Ruminantiamorpha |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Suborder: | Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777 |
| Families | |
| |
Ruminantia is a suborder of artiodactyl mammal species, characterized after their unique feeding method of bacterial fermentation of roughage for use as nutrients; this fermented cud is regurgitated, chewed, and then digested again. Their unique digestive system is called a rumen, of which is the clade's namesake. It is also debated that notoungulate perissodactyls may have reached a convergent equivalent to a rumen, but more research is needed.
All artiodactyls are considered ruminants excluding whales, pigs, hippopotamuses, and camelids (camels and llamas). Famous living ruminants include bovids such as cattle, cervids such as deer, giraffids, mouse deer, musk deer, and the pronghorn.