Bovinae

Bovinae
Bovines (subfamily Bovinae) comprise a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large-sized ungulates, including cattle, bison, African buffalo, water buffalos, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. 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 include cloven hooves and usually at least one of the sexes of a species having true horns. The largest extant bovine is the gaur.
In many countries, bovid milk and meat is used as food by humans. Cattle are kept as livestock almost everywhere except in parts of India and Nepal, where they are considered sacred by most Hindus. Bovids are used as draft animals and as riding animals. Small breeds of domestic bovid, such as the Miniature Zebu, are kept as pets. Bovid leather is durable and flexible and is used to produce a wide range of goods including clothing and bags.
Systematics and classification
Family Bovidae
Subfamily Bovinae
Tribe Boselaphini
Genus Tetracerus
Four-horned antelope, Tetracerus quadricornis
T. q. quadricornis
T. q. iodes
T. q. subquadricornis
Genus Boselaphus
Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus
B. t. tragocamelus (Indian nilgai)
Genus †Duboisia
†D. santeng
Tribe Bovini
Genus Bubalus
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
Genus Bos
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
Genus Pseudoryx
Saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
Genus Syncerus
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†
Genus Bison
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
Genus Pelorovis† (extinct)
Pelorovis oldowayensis†
Pelorovis turkanensis†
Pelorovis kaisensis†
Pelorovis howelli†
Tribe Tragelaphini
Genus Tragelaphus (antelope-like)
Bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerusT. e. isaaciT. e. eurycerus Greater kudu, Tragelaphus strepsicerosT. s. strepsicerosT. s. choraT. s. cottoni Cape bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus Harnessed bushbuck, Tragelaphus sylvaticus Lesser kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis Mountain nyala, Tragelaphus buxtoni Lowland nyala, Tragelaphus angasii Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekeiiT. s. selousiT. s. gratusT. s. spekii Genus Taurotragus Common eland, Taurotragus oryxT. o. oryxT. o. livingstoniiT. o. pattersonianus Giant eland, Taurotragus derbianusT. d. derbianusT. d. gigasEtymology
Bovine is derived from Latin bos, "ox", through Late Latin bovinus. Bos comes from the Indo-European root *gwous, 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
Bovinae information in ITIS.
Congress on Controversies in Bovine Health, Industry & Economics (CoBo)
Bovidae
Taxa named by John Edward Gray
Mammal subfamilies
Extant Miocene first appearances