Bovidae
Bovidae are a diverse group of mammals that belong to the order Artiodactyla, which means they have even-toed hooves. They are also ruminants, which means they have a four-chambered stomach that allows them to digest tough plant material. Bovidae include some of the most familiar animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, bison, antelopes, and gazelles. Bovidae have a worldwide distribution, except for Australia and Antarctica. They inhabit a range of habitats, from forests and grasslands to deserts and mountains. They vary greatly in size, shape, color, and horn structure. Some bovids have horns that are straight, curved, spiral, or branched. Some have horns only in males, some have horns in both sexes, and some have no horns at all. Horns are made of keratin, the same material as hair and nails, and grow throughout the animal's life.
Bovidae are classified into eight subfamilies, based on their morphology and molecular phylogeny.
These subfamilies are:
- Aepycerotinae (impala),
- Alcelaphinae (wildebeest and relatives),
- Antilopinae (gazelles and relatives),
- Bovinae (cattle and relatives),
- Caprinae (goats and relatives),
- Cephalophinae (duikers),
- Hippotraginae (oryx and relatives),
- Reduncinae (reedbuck and relatives).
Within these subfamilies, there are about 52 genera and 143 extant species of bovids. There are also many extinct species of bovids, dating back to the Miocene epoch, about 20 million years ago.
Some bovids are also endangered or threatened by habitat loss, hunting, poaching, disease, and climate change. Conservation efforts are needed to protect these animals and their ecosystems.