Where would fauns/satyrs fit on a taxonomic tree?
Somewhat related to this. I've already decided that both orcs and humans are subspecies of homo sapiens (homo sapiens praepotens and homo sapiens perpessio, respectively, because both species are abundant and it would be rude to call one of them the "real" homo sapiens). I have fauns/satyr type beings instead of elves, though, because I dislike the idea of an immortal species.
Unlike fauns and satyrs of myth, these guys have about the same hair distribution as humans (i.e., no goat legs). I'd also like to give them antlers instead of horns "“Â that is, they'd be cast off annually, able to be cut off without bleeding to death. Their stance is digitigrade, with solid hooves, as in a horse.
Obviously, having hooves, they're not as closely related as humans and orcs are, and are almost definitely not in the "homo" category. Where might a species like this plausibly fit on a taxonomic tree? And, on a similar note, can I plausibly give my satyrs "horns"?
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This is perhaps not exactly the answer you are looking for, but I would suggest you consider the possibility of having the satyrs coevolve with your homids, but start from some other species. Humans evolved from apes; why can't your satyrs start from hooved animals instead? You already mention horses in your question; is there some specific reason why your satyrs can't have evolved from horses?
Consider giraffes, which evolved really long necks to reach high into the trees (where there was little competition for the food). Your satyrs could take a different evolutionary path and evolve the ability to stand reasonably stable on their hind legs to do much the same thing. Like long necks, this would also give them the advantage of a better view of the terrain, which helps spot predators early. It also has the benefit that it doesn't require, say, a comparatively much stronger heart to pump the blood all the way up to the head, because the head is much closer in terms of height: less work needed to fight gravity.
Your satyrs, then, would fit into the taxonomy with horses in much the same way humans in our world fit into the taxonomy with apes.
Give it enough time and a good enough selection pressure, and one could even argue that it could at least semi-plausibly actually have happened that way!
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