Bovid
241281
225179293
2008-07-12T08:56:04Z
Jonathan Cardy
4071608
disambig Buffalo
{{Taxobox
| name = Bovids
| fossil_range = Early [[Miocene]] to Recent
| image = Sable bull.jpg
| image_caption = [[Sable Antelope]]
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Artiodactyla]]
| familia = '''Bovidae'''
| familia_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1821
| subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies
| subdivision =
[[Bovinae]]<br>
[[Cephalophinae]]<br>
[[Hippotraginae]]<br>
[[Antilopinae]]<br>
[[Caprinae]]<br>
[[Reduncinae]]<br>
[[impala|Aepycerotinae]]<br>
[[Grey Rhebok|Peleinae]]<br>
[[Alcelaphinae]]<br>
[[Pantholopinae]]
}}
A '''bovid''' is any of almost 140 species of [[cloven-hoof]]ed [[mammal]]s belonging to the [[family (biology)|family]] '''Bovidae'''. The family is widespread, being native to all continents except [[South America]], [[Australia]] and [[Antarctica]], and diverse: members include [[Bovinae|buffalo]], [[bison]], [[antelope]]s, [[gazelle]]s, both wild and domesticated [[cattle]], [[sheep]], [[goat]]s, and [[Bubalus|water buffalo]].
==Characteristics==
The largest bovids weigh well over a ton and stand 2 metres high at the shoulder; the smallest weigh about 3 kg and stand no taller than a large [[domestic cat]]. Some are thick-set and muscular, others lightly built with small frames and long legs. Many [[species]] congregate into large groups with complex social structures, but others are mostly solitary. Within their extensive range, they occupy a wide variety of habitat types, from [[desert]] to [[tundra]] and from thick [[tropical forest]] to high mountains.
Most members of the family are [[herbivorous]], except most [[Cephalophinae|duikers]], which are [[omnivorous]]. All bovids have a four-chambered stomach which allows most of them to digest foods that are too low in nutriment for many other animals, notably [[grass]]es. No higher animal directly digests [[cellulose]], but like [[kangaroo]]s, [[termite]]s and others, bovids rely on [[micro-organisms]] living in their stomachs to break down cellulose by [[fermentation]].
Because of the size and weight of their complex digestive systems, many bovids have a solid, stocky build; the more gracile species tend to have more selective diets, and be browsers rather than [[grazer]]s. Their upper [[canine tooth|canine teeth]] and [[incisor]]s are missing, and are replaced with a hard, horny pad, that the lower teeth grind against to cut grass or other foliage. The canines are either missing or modified to act as extra incisors. The [[cheek]] teeth are low-crowned and [[molar (tooth)#Molars among species|selenodont]], and are separated from the forward teeth by a wide gap, or [[diastema (dentistry)|diastema]]. <ref name=EoM>{{cite book |editor=Macdonald, D.|author= Janis, C. & Jarman, P.|year=1984 |title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= 498-499|isbn= 0-87196-871-1}}</ref> The [[dentition|dental formula]] for bovids is similar to that of other ruminants:{{dentition2|0.0.2-3.3|3.1.3.3}}
All bovids have four [[toe]]s on each foot – they walk on the central two (the [[hoof|hooves]]), while the outer two (the dew-claws) rarely touch the ground. All males and many females have horns (except in some domesticated breeds); the size and shape varies greatly but the basic structure is always a single bony protrusion without branches and covered in a permanent sheath of [[keratin]].
== Evolution ==
The bovid family is known through [[fossil]]s from the early [[Miocene]], around 20 million years ago. The earliest bovids, such as ''[[Eotragus]]'', were small animals, somewhat similar to modern [[gazelle]]s, and probably lived in [[woodland]] environments. The number of bovid species greatly expanded by the late Miocene, when many adapted to more open, grassland, habitat.<ref name=MamEv>{{cite book |author= Savage, RJG, & Long, MR|year=1986 |title= Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide|publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= 232-235|isbn= 0-8160-1194-X}}</ref>
The largest number of modern bovids is found in [[Africa]], while substantial but less diverse populations are in [[Asia]] and [[North America]]. It is thought that many bovid species that evolved in Asia could not survive predation by humans arriving from Africa in the late [[Pleistocene]]. By contrast, African species had many thousands or a few million years to adapt to the gradual development of human hunting skills. Yet many of the commonly domesticated bovid species ([[goats]], [[sheep]], [[Domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] and [[yak]]) originated in Asia. This may be because Asian bovids had less fear of humans and were more docile.{{who | date=November 2007}}
The small number of modern American bovids are relatively recent arrivals over the [[Bering Land Bridge]], but they long predate human arrival.
==Classification==
* '''ORDER [[Artiodactyla|ARTIODACTYLA]]''': even-toed ungulates
** Suborder [[Suina]]: pigs and allies
** Suborder [[Tylopoda]]: camels and llamas
** '''Suborder [[Ruminantia]]''': ruminants
***Infraorder Tragulina
**** Family [[Tragulidae]]: chevrotains, 6 species in 4 genera
***'''Infraorder [[Pecora]]'''
**** Family [[Moschidae]]: musk deer, 4 species in one genus
**** Family [[Antilocapridae]]: pronghorns, one species in one genus
**** Family [[Giraffidae]]: giraffes and okapi, 2 species in 2 genera
**** Family [[Cervidae]]: deer, 43 species in 16 genera
**** '''Family Bovidae'''
***** Subfamily [[Bovinae]]: cattle and spiral-horned antelopes, 26 species in 10 genera
***** Subfamily [[Cephalophinae]]: duikers, 19 species in 2 genera
***** Subfamily [[Hippotraginae]]: grazing antelopes, 6 species in 5 genera
***** Subfamily [[Antilopinae]]: gazelles, dwarf antelopes and the saiga, 34 species in 13 genera
***** Subfamily [[Caprinae]]: sheep, goats, 33 species in 10 genera
***** Subfamily [[Reduncinae]]: reedbucks, lechwe, 8 species in 2 genera
***** Subfamily [[impala|Aepycerotinae]]: impala, 1 species in 1 genus
***** Subfamily [[Grey Rhebok|Peleinae]]: rhebok, 1 species in 1 genus
***** Subfamily [[Alcelaphinae]]: [[wildebeest]], topi/tsessebe, 7 species in 4 genera
***** Subfamily [[Pantholopinae]]: Chiru
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Wikispecies|Bovidae}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{Artiodactyla|R.2}}
[[Category:Bovidae| ]]
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