The question of whether elephants and cows are related has a surprising answer that traces back to the earliest days of mammalian evolution. Although they appear vastly different today, both species are classified as placental mammals (Eutheria), meaning they share a common ancestor. This ancestral link is exceedingly distant, representing one of the deepest splits in the entire placental mammal family tree.
The Major Evolutionary Split
The vast array of placental mammals is separated into four major Superorders, two of which contain elephants and cows. This major evolutionary divergence occurred extremely early in the history of mammals, well over 90 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The two groups relevant to this discussion are Afrotheria, which includes elephants, and Laurasiatheria, which contains cows.
The initial geographic split determined the subsequent evolutionary paths of these groups. Afrotheria diversified on the isolated supercontinent of Africa, while Laurasiatheria evolved primarily on the northern continents of Laurasia, comprising North America, Europe, and Asia. This geographical separation allowed the two lineages to evolve independently for tens of millions of years, filling ecological niches without direct competition. The resulting anatomical differences make their shared ancestry difficult to recognize without genetic analysis.
Elephants: Members of Afrotheria
Elephants belong to the Superorder Afrotheria, a group whose members share a common evolutionary origin on the African landmass. The relatives of the elephant (Order Proboscidea) are among the most unusual and unexpected in the animal kingdom. Molecular evidence groups elephants most closely with the aquatic manatees and dugongs (Order Sirenia) and the small, herbivorous hyraxes (Order Hyracoidea).
These three orders form a clade called Paenungulata, or “near-ungulates,” based on shared ancestral features. Other members of Afrotheria include:
- The tube-toothed aardvarks.
- Elephant shrews.
- Golden moles.
- Tenrecs.
This superorder demonstrates adaptive radiation, evolving from a single ancestral group into creatures as diverse as the largest land mammal and a tiny burrowing mole.
Cows: Members of Laurasiatheria
Cows belong to the Superorder Laurasiatheria, a massive assemblage of mammals that originated on the northern continents. Within this group, cows are classified in the Order Artiodactyla, known as the even-toed ungulates, which includes animals like pigs, deer, goats, and giraffes. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that the Artiodactyla is now more accurately termed Cetartiodactyla, because it must include the whales and dolphins (Order Cetacea).
This means that a cow’s closest evolutionary ties are not only to other hoofed grazing animals but also to marine mammals. Other Laurasiatherian orders include Carnivora (dogs and cats) and Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates like horses and rhinoceroses). The common ancestor of all these diverse northern mammals was a generalist that colonized the northern landmasses. The Laurasiatherian divergence was characterized by a rapid radiation of species that came to dominate the megafauna of Eurasia and North America.
Tracing the Shared Common Ancestor
To find the actual point where the elephant and cow lineages meet, one must travel back to the base of the placental mammal family tree. This last shared ancestor between Afrotheria and Laurasiatheria existed approximately 90 to 100 million years ago, deep within the Cretaceous period. This date is based on molecular clock estimates that use genetic differences to calculate divergence times.
The shared ancestor was not a large, specialized animal like a modern elephant or cow, but a small, generalized Eutherian mammal. This creature was likely a non-descript, insect-eating animal resembling a modern shrew or mouse. From this ancestor, two separate branches of evolution—one primarily African and one Laurasian—began their long, independent journeys toward the modern elephant and the cow.