camel (redirected from Camels)

camel, ruminant mammal of the family Camelidae. The family consists of three genera, the true camels of Asia (genus Camelus); the wild guanaco and the domesticated alpaca and llama, all of South America (genus Lama); and the vicuña, also of South America (genus Vicugna). The hooves on members of the family are much reduced, growing only on the upper surface of the outside toes of the feet.

The two species of true camel are the single-humped Arabian camel, or dromedary, Camelus dromedarius, a domesticated animal used in Arabia and North Africa, and the two-humped Bactrian camel (C. bactrianus) of central Asia. Some wild Bactrian camels exist in Turkistan and Mongolia. The humps are storage places for fat. Camels range in color from dirty white to dark brown and have long necks, small ears, tough-skinned lips, and powerful teeth, some of which are sharply pointed. The camel uses the mouth in fighting. Adaptations to desert life include broad, flat, thick-soled two-toed feet that do not sink into the sand; the ability to go without drinking for several days—or longer if juicy plants are available; and valvular nostrils lined with hairs for protection against flying sand. Horny pads help to protect the chest, knees, and thigh joints against injury from the hard surfaces on which the camel sleeps.

Strong camels usually carry from 500 to 600 lb (230 to 270 kg) and cover about 30 mi (48 km) a day. Some Bactrian camels can transport 1,000 lb (450 kg). A light, fleet breed of dromedary is used for riding and not for bearing heavy loads. The name dromedary was formerly applied to any swift riding camel.

Geologic findings indicate that the camel originated in North America, that one group migrated to Asia and the other to South America, and that both became extinct in North America probably after the glacial period. Camels are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Camelidae.

Bibliography

See H. Gauthier-Pilters and A. I. Dagg, The Camel (1981).

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camel

Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).

(credit: © George Holton—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers)

Either of two species of large, hump-backed ruminants of the family Camelidae. Camels are used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions of Africa, Arabia, and Asia. Adaptations to windblown deserts include double rows of eyelashes, the ability to close the nostrils, and wide-spreading soft feet. They also can tolerate dehydration and high body temperatures. They are thus able to go several days without drinking water. Though docile when properly trained, camels can be dangerous. The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) is about 7 ft (2 m) tall at the top of the two humps; the Arabian camel (C. dromedarius), or dromedary, has one hump and is 7 ft (2 m) high at the shoulder. When food is available, camels store fat in their humps to be used later for sustenance; water is produced as a by-product of fat metabolism. The feral camels of Australia were introduced to that continent in the 1800s.

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CAMEL

(Customized Application of Mobile network Enhanced Logic) A set of ETSI standards for extending landline intelligent network (IN) telephony services to the data services of GSM, GPRS and UMTS mobile systems. CAMEL functions were added in phases; highlights are basic features such as call waiting and call forwarding in Phase 1, while Phase 2 added support for prepaid calling and unstructured supplementary service data (see USSD). Phase 3 supports roaming; Phase 4 adds multimedia services, and Phase 5 provides seamless prepaid roaming. See CAP.

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camel

1. either of two cud-chewing artiodactyl mammals of the genus Camelus (see Arabian camel, Bactrian camel): family Camelidae. They are adapted for surviving long periods without food or water in desert regions, esp by using humps on the back for storing fat

2. a float attached to a vessel to increase its buoyancy

3. a raft or float used as a fender between a vessel and a wharf

4. 

a. a fawn colour

b. (as adjective): a camel coat