You are here
Magnoliopsida
S
EOL Text
Gemsbok are thought to have evolved reduced sexual dimorphism to facilitate longer acceptance of juvenile male presence by the territorial males.
Gemsbok are able to increase their body temperature to 45 degrees from 35.7 degrees C in order to delay evaporative cooling.
The species has been recognized since 1758.
There are seven identified subspecies, but none of them have been formally recognized yet.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Oryx_gazella/ |
Oryx gazella (common name Gemsbok) is a large antelope distributed in southwestern Africa, whose range has been considerably diminished (a) in the country of South Africa due to human overpopulation, habitat destruction and overhunting; and in (b) southern Angola from destabilizing warfare which occurred in the latter part of the twentieth century when Russia and Cuba sent in large numbers of troops in an attempt to destabilise the region.
This species is well adapted to the harsh arid and semi-arid environments of the region, with morphological dentition features enabling both grazing and browsing, and remarkable thermo-regulatory physiology that prevents dehydration in these environments. The total population of O. gazella is estimated at approximately 370,000 individuals.
Distribution and subspecies
Native distribution includes the majority of Namibia and Botswana, along with vestigial populations in southwest Angola and extreme northwestern South Africa. The range was much more extensive in western South Africa and southern Angola even one century ago. The human population explosion in South Africa, with attendant habitat destruction, overhunting and habitat fragmentation has decimated most of the native population in that country. In Angola, more recent warfare surrounding the Russian financed Cuban mercenaries, with attendant neglect of wildlife conservation in the latter part of the twentieth century has created considerable species decline.
The majority of the native range is populated by O. gazella gazella, the Kalahari gemsbok; however, the Angolan population is generally considered to be the subspecies O. gazella blainei, the Angolan gemsbok.
There are non trivial introduced populations of O. gazella in western Zimbabwe (Wilson & Reeder. 1993) and in the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in the USA.
Morphology
Oryx gazella is a sizable bovid exhibiting a thick, muscular neck, overlain by dense, inelastic skin. O. gazella is, in fact, the most massive species within the genus Oryx. This antelope stands 1.15 to 1.25 meters high at the shoulder, and presents a tail to nose tip body length of 1.80 and 1.95 meters, with males being slightly larger than females. The female body mass ranges from about 178 to 225 kilograms, while the male body mass is from approximately 180 and 240 kilograms.
Gemsboks have the ability to increase their internal body temperature as high as 45 degrees Celsius, as a mechanism to cope with high environmental temperatures and as a means of coping with evaporative water loss in its arid habitats. Tissues in its large nose present a means of cooling this large animal, by exposing a large area of veined tissue to the surrounding air.
The dentition of O. gazella is well adapted to cropping the short tough desert grasses, with a wide row of incisors and high crowned molars. (Archer & Sanson. 2002)
Habitat
Preferred habitat for this antelope is semi-arid and arid desert, bushveldt and grassland, including harsh environments of the Kalahari and Namib Deserts. (World Wildlife Fund & Hogan. 2012) O. gazella may be found on stony plains, sand dunes, rocky slopes and alkaline flats. It may travel considerable distances to drink from springs and visit natural salt deposits or salt licks. The typical altitude range of this species is from approximately 800 to 1300 meters above sea level.
This herbivore chiefly consumes its food by grazing, but during the dry season their palette is broadened to include a greater fraction of browse vegetation such as acacia pods. Adapting to arid environments has involved the ability to consume water rich foods such as bulbs, roots, tubers and tsama melons. (Sponheimer et al. 2003) The subsurface varieties of these foods it acquires by skillful excavation. (SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2008)
- C.Michael Hogan. 2012. ''Species account for Oryx gazella". Globaltwitcher. ed. N.Stromberg
- D. Archer and G. Sanson. 2002. Form and function of the selenodont molar in southern African ruminants in relation to their feeding habits. Journal of Zoology, 257: 13-26
- J. Kingdon. 1997. The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. San Diego: Academic Press.
- Don E.Wilson and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. 1993. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing. xviii + 1207
- M. Sponheimer, J. Lee-Thorp, D. DeRuiler, J. Smith, N. Van Der Merwe, K. Reed, C. Grant, L. Ayliffe, T. Robonson, C. Heidelberger, M. Warren. 2003. Diets of Southern African Bovidea: Stable Isotope Evidence. Journal of Mammalogy, 82(2): 471-479.
- SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2008. Oryx gazella. In: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- World Wildlife Fund and C.Michael Hogan. 2012. Kalahari Xeric Savanna. Encyclopedia of Earth. Ed. M. McGinley. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | cc-sa-3.0 |
Source | http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=36317 |
Quaggas were often found in arid to temperate grasslands, and sometimes wetter pastures.
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Equus_quagga/ |
A plan to 'retrieve' the quagga is now being carried out in South Africa by the Quagga Project (5). Recent genetic studies on several museum samples revealed that the quagga was indeed a subspecies of the plains zebra and not a distinct species (4). This added fresh hope to the idea that selective breeding of particular plains zebras would lead eventually to an animal resembling the long-lost quagga in appearance. Under the guidance of Reinhold Rau, the project began in earnest in 1987 (5), and by 2008, over 25 third generation foals had been successfully reared, with some of these having coat patterns beginning to approximate those of some of the museum quaggas (7). There has been some controversy about this project, for example, some authorities criticize the project for appearing to demonstrate that it is possible to bring an animal back from extinction. However, proponents believe that a high profile project, which involves the return of these zebras to the grasslands where quaggas once roamed, may help to raise awareness of the importance of the fragile Karoo grassland of Southern Africa (8).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Copyright Wildscreen 2003-2008 |
Source | http://www.arkive.org/quagga/equus-quagga-quagga/ |
Comments: Generally on arid plains.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Hammerson, G., NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Oryx+gazella |
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Oryx+gazella |
South African porcupines are found from sea level to 2000 m above sea level in most areas with vegetation. They prefer rocky hills and outcrops, as they must have shelter during the day. They often take shelter in caves or antbear (Orycteropus afer) holes. They also build dens which can be up to 20m long with a 2m deep living chamber.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; scrub forest
- Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World v. III. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Storch, G. 1990. Porcupines. S Parker, ed. Grizimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals v.4. New York: McGraw-Hill.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Hystrix_africaeaustralis/ |
Porcupines are important members of healthy ecosystems.
Positive Impacts: food
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Hystrix_africaeaustralis/ |
The red-throated twinspot or Peters's twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus) is a common species of bird found in sub-saharan Africa. This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 2,000,000 km².
It is commonly seen in Angola, Burundi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia & Zimbabwe. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Origin[edit]
Origin and phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.[2] Estrildinae may have originated in India and dispersed thereafter (towards Africa and Pacific Ocean habitats).
References[edit]
- ^ BirdLife International (2012). "Hypargos niveoguttatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ^ Arnaiz-Villena, A; Ruiz-del-Valle V; Gomez-Prieto P; Reguera R; Parga-Lozano C; Serrano-Vela I (2009). "Estrildinae Finches (Aves, Passeriformes) from Africa, South Asia and Australia: a Molecular Phylogeographic Study". The Open Ornithology Journal 2: 29–36. doi:10.2174/1874453200902010029.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red-throated_twinspot&oldid=618504854 |
Length: 43-46 cm. Plumage: white with black crown, wing coverts, scapulars and wing-tips; black may become brownish with wear. Immature brown replaces black of adults, buff tinge to white feathers. Bare parts: iris male red, female brown; bill black; feet and legs blue-grey to grey. Habitat: shallow waters of lagoons, estuaries, seashores and inland water bodies. Resident; breeds in Africa. <389><391><393>
- Urban, E.K., C.H. Fry & S. Keith (1986). The Birds of Africa, Volume II. Academic Press, London.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License |
Source | http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=212721 |