Equinae is a subfamily of the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Equidae

Equidae

Equidae is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, donkeys, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. All extant species are in the genus Equus...

, which lived worldwide (except Indonesia and Australia) from the Hemingfordian stage of the Early Miocene

Early Miocene

The Early Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages....

 to present (20.6—0 mya) and in existence for approximately .

Taxonomy

Equinae was named by Steinmann and Döderlein in 1890 and was considered monophyletic by MacFadden (1998).

Subtaxa

The subfamily contains to tribes the Equini

Equini

Equini is a tribe of herbivorous mammals of the subfamily Equinae, family Equidae, which lived worldwide from the Hemingfordian stage of the Early Miocene to present and in existence for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

 and the Hipparionini as well as two unplaced genera Merychippus

Merychippus

Merychippus is an extinct proto-horse of the family Equidae that was endemic to North America during the Miocene from 20.43—10.3 Ma living for approximately .It had three toes on each foot and is the first horse known to have grazed...

and Scaphohippus

Scaphohippus

Scaphohippus is an extinct Miocene genus of equine, with two known species, known from fossils found in California, New Mexico, Montana, and Nebraska.-History:...

.