Bovidae is a family of hoofed ruminant mammals in the order Artiodactyla. A member of this family is called a bovid. They are widespread throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, and are found in a variety of biomes, most typically forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland. Bovids range in size from the long royal antelope to the long gaur, which can reach in weight. Over a billion each of domesticated sheep, cattle, and goats, and over 200 million domesticated water buffalo, 14 million domestic yak, and 300,000 domesticated gayal are used in farming worldwide. Many wild species do not have population estimates, though the impala, springbok, and harnessed bushbuck have population sizes of over one million, while several species of bovid are considered endangered or critically endangered with populations as low as 25. One species, the scimitar oryx, was once extinct in the wild, though populations are now recovering. The bluebuck went extinct in the last 200 years, and the aurochs went extinct 400 years ago. A third extinct species, the red gazelle, potentially never existed, and the kouprey is potentially extinct, with no sightings since 1969.
The 146 extant species of Bovidae are split into 53 genera within 10 subfamilies: Aepycerotinae, or the impala; Alcelaphinae, containing the bontebok, hartebeest, wildebeest, and relatives; Antilopinae, containing several antelope, gazelles, and relatives; Bovinae, containing cattle, buffalos, bison, and other antelopes; Caprinae, containing goats, sheep, ibex, serows and relatives; Cephalophinae, or duikers; Hippotraginae, containing the addax, oryx, and relatives; Nesotraginae, or dwarf antelopes; Oreotraginae, or the klipspringer; and Reduncinae, or reedbuck and kob antelopes. Extinct species have also been placed into these subfamilies, as well as the extinct Hypsodontinae, Oiocerinae, and Tethytraginae subfamilies. Over one hundred extinct Bovidae species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.
Conventions
The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the bovid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "".
Classification
The family Bovidae consists of 146 extant species belonging to 53 genera in 10 subfamilies and divided into hundreds of subspecies. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species. Additionally, the bluebuck went extinct in the last 200 years, and the aurochs went extinct 400 years ago.
Subfamily Aepycerotinae Genus Aepyceros: one species Subfamily Alcelaphinae Genus Alcelaphus: one species Genus Beatragus: one species Genus Connochaetes: two species Genus Damaliscus: two species Subfamily Antilopinae Genus Ammodorcas: one species Genus Antidorcas: one species Genus Antilope: one species Genus Dorcatragus: one species Genus Eudorcas: five species Genus Gazella: ten species Genus Litocranius: one species Genus Madoqua: four species Genus Nanger: three species Genus Neotragus: three species Genus Ourebia: one species Genus Procapra: three species Genus Raphicerus: three species Genus Saiga: one species Subfamily Bovinae Genus Bison: two species Genus Bos: ten species (one extinct) Genus Boselaphus: one species Genus Bubalus: five species Genus Pseudoryx: one species Genus Syncerus: one species Genus Taurotragus: two species Genus Tetracerus: one species Genus Tragelaphus: seven species Subfamily Caprinae Genus Ammotragus: one species Genus Arabitragus: one species Genus Budorcas: one species Genus Capra: nine species Genus Capricornis: four species Genus Hemitragus: one species Genus Naemorhedus: four species Genus Nilgiritragus: one species Genus Oreamnos: one species Genus Ovibos: one species Genus Ovis: seven species Genus Pantholops: one species Genus Pseudois: one species Genus Rupicapra: two species Subfamily Cephalophinae Genus Cephalophus: fifteen species Genus Philantomba: three species Genus Sylvicapra: one species Subfamily Hippotraginae Genus Addax: one species Genus Hippotragus: three species (one extinct) Genus Oryx: four species Subfamily Nesotraginae Genus Nesotragus: two species Subfamily Oreotraginae Genus Oreotragus: one species Subfamily Reduncinae Genus Kobus: five species Genus Pelea: one species Genus Redunca: three species
Bovids The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis.
Subfamily Aepycerotinae
Subfamily Alcelaphinae
Subfamily Antilopinae
Subfamily Bovinae
Subfamily Caprinae
Subfamily Cephalophinae
Subfamily Hippotraginae
Subfamily Nesotraginae
Subfamily Oreotraginae
Subfamily Reduncinae
Notes
References Harris, pp. 122–131
Kingdon 2013, ch. Topi, Tiang, Tsessebe
Kingdon 2013, ch. Springbok
Kingdon 2020, ch. Beira
Castelló, p. 112
Castelló, p. 108
Kingdon 2020, ch. Red-fronted gazelle
Castelló, p. 132
Castelló, p. 156
Kingdon 2020, ch. Cuvier's gazelle
Kingdon 2020, ch. Dorcas gazelle Castelló, p. 134
Castelló, p. 128
Castelló, p. 146
Kingdon 2013, ch. Speke's gazelle
Castelló, p. 150
Kingdon 2020, ch. Günther's dik-dik
Castelló, p. 214
Kingdon 2013, ch. Grant's gazelle
Kingdon 2013, ch. Soemmerring's gazelle
Kingdon 2020, ch. Royal antelope
Castelló, p. 164
Kingdon 2020, ch. Cape grysbok
Castelló, p. 170
Castelló, p. 642
Castelló, p. 638
Castelló, p. 624
Castelló, p. 636
Castelló, p. 606
Castelló, p. 607
Castelló, p. 596
Castelló, p. 648
Kingdon 2013, ch. Common eland
Kingdon 2013, ch. Giant eland
Kingdon 2020, ch. Bushbuck
Kingdon 2013, ch. Nyala
Kingdon 2013, ch. Sitatunga
Castelló, p. 310
Castelló, p. 326
Kingdon 2020, ch. Walia ibex
Castelló, p. 428
Castelló, pp. 435, 437
Smith, Xie, p. 370
Castelló, p. 442
Castelló, p. 451
Smith, Xie, p. 374
Castelló, p. 397
Castelló, p. 367
Castelló, pp. 390, 391
Castelló, pp. 405, 407
Kingdon 2020, ch. Peters's duiker
Kingdon 2013, ch. Jentink's duiker
Kingdon 2013, ch. White-bellied duiker
Kingdon 2020, ch. Red duiker
Kingdon 2020, ch. Black-fronted duiker
Castelló, p. 269
Kingdon 2020, ch. Ogilby's duiker
Kingdon 2020, ch. Weyns's duiker
Kingdon 2020, ch. Zebra duiker
Castelló, p. 244
Kingdon 2020, ch. Roan antelope
Kingdon 2020, ch. Sable antelope
Kingdon 2013, ch. Beisa oryx
Kingdon 2020, ch. Scimitar oryx
Kingdon 2020, ch. Kob
Kingdon 2020, ch. Lechwe
Kingdon 2020, ch. Nile lechwe
Castelló, p. 76
Sources