Hippopotamidae

E45053

Hippopotamidae is a family of large, mostly herbivorous, semi-aquatic mammals that includes the common hippopotamus and its relatives.

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Statements (42)

Predicate Object
instanceOf mammal family
activityPattern mostly nocturnal foraging
adaptation eyes ears and nostrils placed high on head
ancestralRelation closest living relatives are cetaceans
bodyMassRange hundreds to thousands of kilograms
clade Cetancodonta
Whippomorpha
surface form: Cetancodontamorpha
class Mammalia
commonName hippopotamuses
hippos
conservationConcern some species threatened or vulnerable
describedAs large mammals
diet mostly herbivorous
economicImpact conflict with agriculture in some regions
fossilRecord well represented in Miocene deposits
habitat lakes
rivers
swamps
hasLivingSpeciesCount 2
includesExtinctTaxa yes
includesTaxon Choeropsis liberiensis
Hippopotamus
surface form: Hippopotamus amphibius
kingdom Animalia
lifestyle semi-aquatic
limbStructure short, pillar-like legs
locomotion walk on riverbeds
nativeTo Africa
order Artiodactyla
phylum Chordata
reproduction viviparous
respirationAdaptation nostrils close underwater
skinSecretion produce reddish oily secretion
skinSecretionFunction acts as sunscreen
skinType thick, nearly hairless skin
socialStructure often live in groups
suborder Whippomorpha
superfamily Hippopotamoidea
taxonRank family
threats habitat loss
hunting
typeGenus Hippopotamus
youngDevelop nurse on milk

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Whippomorpha hasCommonAncestorWith Hippopotamidae
Whippomorpha includes Hippopotamidae
Artiodactyla includesTaxon Hippopotamidae