Bovinae

Bovines Temporal range:Miocenetopresent
African buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Bovinae J. E. Gray,1821
Tribes
BoselaphiniKnottnerus-Meyer,1907 BoviniJ. E. Gray, 1821 TragelaphiniBlyth,1863sensuSokolov,1953

Bovines(subfamilyBovinae) comprise a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large-sizedungulates,includingcattle,bison,African buffalo,water buffalos,and the four-horned and spiral-hornedantelopes.The evolutionary relationship between the members of the group is still debated, and their classification into loose tribes rather than formal subgroups reflects this uncertainty. General characteristics includecloven hoovesand usually at least one of the sexes of a species havingtrue horns.The largest extant bovine is thegaur.

In many countries, bovidmilkandmeatis used as food by humans. Cattle are kept aslivestockalmost everywhere except in parts ofIndiaandNepal,where they areconsidered sacredby mostHindus.Bovids are used asdraft animalsand asriding animals.Small breeds of domestic bovid, such as theMiniature Zebu,are kept as pets. Bovidleatheris durable and flexible and is used to produce a wide range of goods includingclothingandbags.

Systematics and classification

Bovine skull

• FamilyBovidae
  • Subfamily Bovinae
    • TribeBoselaphini
      • GenusTetracerus
        • Four-horned antelope,Tetracerus quadricornis
          • T. q. quadricornis
          • T. q. iodes
          • T. q. subquadricornis
      • GenusBoselaphus
        • Nilgai,Boselaphus tragocamelus
          • B. t. tragocamelus(Indian nilgai)
      • Genus†Duboisia
        • †D. santeng
    • TribeBovini
      • GenusBubalus
        • Wild water buffalo,Bubalus arnee
        • Domestic water buffalo,Bubalus bubalis
        • Lowland anoa,Bubalus depressicornis
        • Mountain anoa,Bubalus quarlesi
        • Tamaraw,Bubalus mindorensis
        • Cebu tamaraw†,Bubalus cebuensis
      • GenusBos
        • Aurochs,Bos primigenius
          • Eurasian aurochs†,B. p. primigenius
          • Indian aurochs†,B. p. namadicus
        • Banteng,Bos javanicus
        • Gaur,Bos gaurus
        • Gayal,Bos frontalis
        • Domestic yak,Bos grunniens
        • Wild yak,Bos mutus
        • Bos palaesondaicus†,
        • Kouprey,Bos sauveli(possibly extinct)
        • Domestic cattle,Bos taurus
          • Taurine cattle,B. t. taurus
          • Zebu cattle,B. t. indicus
          • Sanga cattle,B. t. africanus
      • GenusPseudoryx
        • Saola,Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
      • GenusSyncerus
        • African buffalo,Syncerus caffer
          • Cape buffalo,S. c. caffer
          • Nile buffalo,S. c. aequinoctialis
          • Sudan buffalo,S. c. brachyceros
          • Forest buffalo,S. c. nanus
        • Giant buffalo,Syncerus antiquus†
      • GenusBison
        • American bison,Bison bison
          • Wood bison,B. b. athabascae
          • Plains bison,B. b. bison
        • European bison,Bison bonasus
        • Bison palaeosinensis†, (extinct)
        • Steppe wisent†,Bison priscus
        • Ancient bison†,Bison antiquus
        • Long-horned bison†,Bison latifrons
      • GenusPelorovis† (extinct)
        • Pelorovis oldowayensis†
        • Pelorovis turkanensis†
        • Pelorovis kaisensis†
        • Pelorovis howelli†
    • TribeTragelaphini
      • GenusTragelaphus(antelope-like)
        • Bongo,Tragelaphus eurycerus
          • T. e. isaaci
          • T. e. eurycerus
        • Greater kudu,Tragelaphus strepsiceros
          • T. s. strepsiceros
          • T. s. chora
          • T. s. cottoni
        • Cape bushbuck,Tragelaphus scriptus
        • Harnessed bushbuck,Tragelaphus sylvaticus
        • Lesser kudu,Tragelaphus imberbis
        • Mountain nyala,Tragelaphus buxtoni
        • Lowland nyala,Tragelaphus angasii
        • Sitatunga,Tragelaphus spekeii
          • T. s. selousi
          • T. s. gratus
          • T. s. spekii
      • GenusTaurotragus
        • Common eland,Taurotragus oryx
          • T. o. oryx
          • T. o. livingstonii
          • T. o. pattersonianus
        • Giant eland,Taurotragus derbianus
          • T. d. derbianus
          • T. d. gigas

Etymology

Bovine is derived fromLatinbos,"ox", throughLate Latinbovinus.Bos comes from theIndo-Europeanroot*g^wous,meaning ox.

References

• International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (2003) Opinion 2027 (Case 3010). Usage of 17 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.

External links

• Bovinaeinformation inITIS.
• Congress on Controversies in Bovine Health, Industry & Economics (CoBo)