1
As it turned out, whales were not only more closely-related to artiodactyls than to the mesonychids.
2
They actually are artiodactyls.
3
Biomolecular and genetic studies repeatedly found that whales were most closely related to the group of hoofed mammals called artiodactyls, particularly hippos.
4
The pig is an obvious choice due to its economic and medical importance as well as its evolutionary position in the artiodactyls.