Ferungulata

Ferungulata ("wild beasts and ungulates") is a grandorder of placental mammals that groups together mirorder Ferae and clade Pan-Euungulata. It has existed in two guises, a traditional one based on morphological analysis and a revised one taking into account more recent molecular analyses. The Ferungulata is a sister group to the order Chiroptera (bats) and together they make clade Scrotifera.

==General characteristics== According to a 2022 study by Anne E. Kort, members of grandorder Ferungulata, in addition to their genetic similarities, share common synapomorphy in the lumbar vertebrae (the S-shaped postzygapophysis). In extant ferungulate mammals, this is known only within members of order Artiodactyla. However, this feature is found also in many extinct members of Ferungulata, including hyaenodonts, oxyaenids, mesonychids, arctocyonids and the stem-relatives of perissodactyls (like Cambaytherium). This synapomorphy suggests that this may be basal to all Ferungulata and secondarily lost in modern members, like carnivorans and crown Perissodactyla. Previous study has shown that these S-shaped zygapophyses prevent torsion between vertebrae. As said in this study, it is possible this feature evolved in response to a need for stabilization in posterior spine as ribs became reduced. Also, in this and several other 2022 studies the extinct eutherians pantodonts, tillodonts and genus Deltatherium (family Deltatheriidae) are recognised as crown-group placental mammals, who also possess S-shaped postzygapophysis like other members of Ferungulata.