Boselaphini is a
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...
of
bovines. It contains only two
extant
Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to:
* Extant hereditary titles
* Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English
* Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
, each with a single extant
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
.
Description
The Boselaphini or four-horned
antelope
The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...
tribe are the last survivors of a form very similar to that of the ancestors of the broader subfamily. The oldest fossil members of the tribe, such as ''
Eotragus
''Eotragus'' is an extinct genus of early bovid. Species belonging to the genus inhabited Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Miocene some 20-18 million years ago. It is related to the modern nilgai and four-horned antelope. It was small and pr ...
'', date to the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
about 18 to 20 million years ago. Such fossils possessed horns very similar to those of males belonging to the two living species, although in some cases, they were also present in females.
Both extant species have relatively primitive anatomical and behavioural characteristics and the females have no horns. They are native to the rapidly diminishing forests of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and tend to avoid open plains. The
nilgai
The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus ''Boselaphus'' and was described by Peter Sim ...
has been introduced into southern
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
where a population of a little under 15,000 animals provides some long-term insurance for its survival.
Genera
Extant species
Phylogeny
The following are the genera classified under the tribe. Genera marked with † are extinct.
Tribe Boselaphini
* ''
Boselaphus''
**''
Boselaphus tragocamelus'' -
Nilgai
The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus ''Boselaphus'' and was described by Peter Sim ...
or blue bull (not to be confused with the extinct
bluebuck
The bluebuck (Afrikaans: bloubok ) or blue antelope (''Hippotragus leucophaeus'') is an extinct species of antelope that lived in South Africa until around 1800. It was smaller than the other two species in its genus ''Hippotragus,'' the roan ...
''Hippotragus leucophaeus'')
* †''
Elachistoceras''
* †''
Duboisia
:''The orchid genus described by Karsten as ''Duboisia'' is now included in '' Myoxanthus. For the prehistoric antelope genus, see '' Duboisia (antelope).''
''Duboisia'' (commonly called corkwood tree) is a genus of small perennial shrubs and tr ...
''
* †''
Dystychoceras''
* †''
Eotragus
''Eotragus'' is an extinct genus of early bovid. Species belonging to the genus inhabited Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Miocene some 20-18 million years ago. It is related to the modern nilgai and four-horned antelope. It was small and pr ...
''
* †''
Kipsigicerus
''Kipsigicerus'' is an extinct genus of East African antelope from the Middle Miocene. Its closest living relative is the Four-horned Antelope, four-horned-antelope.
It was discovered in Fort Ternan, Kenya and was originally described as a specie ...
''
* †''
Mesembriportax''
* †''
Miotragocerus
''Miotragocerus'', also known as the European eland, is an extinct species of antelope that once lived in Europe in 10 to 8 million years ago. They were most likely browsers
Browse, browser or browsing may refer to:
Programs
* Web browser, a ...
''
* †''
Pachyportax''
* †''
Perimia''
* †''
Phronetragus''
* †''
Pliodorcas''
* †''
Plioportax''
* †''
Proboselaphus''
* †''
Protragocerus
''Protragocerus'' is an extinct genus of antelope from the late Serravallian age (geology), Age (around 13 to 11 million years ago) of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch. Fossils of the genus have been found in France, India, and Saudi Arabia. It ...
''
* †''
Ruticeros''
* †''
Samokeros''
* †''
Selenoportax''
* †''
Sivaportax''
* †''
Sivoreas''
* †''
Strogulognathus''
* ''
Tetracerus
The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), or ''chousingha'', is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. Its four horns distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (with a few exceptions, such as the Jacob sheep). ...
''
** ''
Tetracerus quadricornis
The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), or ''chousingha'', is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. Its four Horn (anatomy), horns distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (with a few exceptions, such as t ...
'' - Four-horned antelope
* †''
(
''
* †''
Tragoreas''
References
Bovines
Mammals of India
Mammal tribes
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