Bovinae

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Bovinae Fossil range: Miocene to Recent
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 bovines includes a diverse group of 10 species of medium to large sized ungulates, including domestic cattle, Bison, 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 most parts of India, where bovines are considered sacred by Hindus.

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
        • Domestic Asian Water buffalo, Bubalus bubalus
        • Wild Asian Water buffalo, Bubalus Arnee
        • 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 from Latin bos, "ox", through Late Latin bovinus.

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