Bovinae

Bovinae
Water Buffalo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Bovinae Gray, 1821
Tribes
Bovini Boselaphini Strepsicerotini

The biological subfamily Bovinae (or bovines) includes a diverse group of 10 species of medium-sized to large ungulates, including domestic cattle, Bison, the Water Buffalo, the Yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. The evolutionary relationship between the members of the group is obscure, and their classification into loose tribes rather than formal sub-groups reflects this uncertainty. General characteristics include a cloven hoof and usually at least one of the sexes of a species having a true horn.

In most countries, bovines are used for food. Cows are eaten almost everywhere, except in India where bovines are considered sacred by most Hindus. Some of the largest cattle breeding areas in the United States are Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

Systematics and Classification

• FAMILY BOVIDAE
  • Subfamily Bovinae
    • Tribe Boselaphini
      • Genus Tetracerus
        • Four-horned Antelope, Tetracerus quadricornis
      • Genus Boselaphus
        • Nilgai or blue bull, Boselaphus tragocamelus (not to be confused with the extinct Bluebuck Hippotragus leucophaeus, Hippotraginae)
    • Tribe Bovini
      • Genus Bubalus
        • Water Buffalo, Bubalus bubalus
        • Lowland Anoa, Bubalus depressicornis
        • Mountain Anoa, Bubalus quarlesi
        • Tamaraw, Bubalus mindorensis
      • Genus Bos
        • Aurochs, Bos primigenius (extinct)
        • Banteng, Bos javanicus
        • Gaur, Bos gaurus
        • Gayal, Bos frontalis (domestic gaur)
        • Yak, Bos mutus
        • Domestic Cattle, Bos taurus (increasingly considered a subspecies of Bos primigenius)
        • Kouprey, Bos sauveli
      • Genus Pseudonovibos
        • Kting Voar, Pseudonovibos spiralis
      • Genus Pseudoryx
        • Saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
      • Genus Syncerus
        • African Buffalo, Syncerus caffer
      • Genus Bison
        • American Bison, Bison bison
        • Wisent, Bison bonasus
        • Steppe Wisent, Bison priscus (extinct)
    • Tribe Strepsicerotini
      • Genus Tragelaphus (antelope-like)
        • Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekeii
        • Nyala, Tragelaphus angasii
        • Bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus
        • Mountain Nyala Tragelaphus buxtoni
        • Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis
        • Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros
        • Bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerus
      • Genus Taurotragus
        • Common Eland, Taurotragus oryx
        • Giant Eland, Taurotragus derbianus

Etymology

Bovine is derived form Latin bos, "ox", through Late Latin bovinus.

See also

• Bovid hybrid

Bibliography

• International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 2003. Opinion 2027 (Case 3010). Usage of 17ΔбГ specific names based on wild species which are pre-dated by or contemporary with those based on domestic animals (Lepidoptera, Osteichthyes, Mammalia): conserved. Bull.Zool.Nomencl., 60:81-84.

References

External links

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Bovinae

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