Hartebeest

Taxobox
name = Hartebeest
status = LR/cd
status_system = IUCN2.3
trend = down

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image_width = frameless
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Artiodactyla
familia = Bovidae
subfamilia = Alcelaphinae
genus = "Alcelaphus"
species = "A. buselaphus"
binomial = "Alcelaphus buselaphus"
binomial_authority = Pallas, 1766
synonyms = "Bubalis buselaphs" Lichtenstein, 1814
subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
subdivision = "A. b. buselaphus
A. b. cokii
A. b. lelwel
A. b. major
A. b. swaynei
A. b. tora"

The Hartebeest ("Alcelaphus buselaphus") is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus "Alcelaphus"Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. [http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3 Available online] ] .

The Hartebeest stands almost 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and weighs anywhere from 120-200 kg (265-440 lb). Male Hartebeest are a dark brown colour while females are yellow brown. Both sexes have horns which can reach lengths up to 70 cm (27 in). Hartebeest live in grassland and open forest where they eat grass. They are diurnal and spend the morning and late afternoon eating. Herds contain five to twenty individuals but can occasionally contain up to three hundred and fifty.

ubspecies

Six subspecies have been describedWilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. [http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3 Available online] ] , previously seven IUCN2006|assessors=Antelope Specialist Group|year=1996|id=811|title=Alcelaphus buselaphus|downloaded=11 May 2006] when it still included the Red Hartebeest which is now considered a distinct species after phylogeographic studies Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. [http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3 Available online] ] .:*Bubal Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus" (Extinct):*Coke's Hartebeest or Kongoni, "Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii":*Lelwel Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel":*Western Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus major":*Swayne's Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei":*Tora Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus tora"

Two subspecies cross breeds are recognized by some sectors the commercial hunting fraternity.:*Kenya Highland Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x cokii":*Neumann Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x swaynei". (Ethiopia)

Other species

* Red Hartebeest "Alcelaphus caama".Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. [http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3 Available online] ]
* Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, "Alcelaphus lichtensteinii"Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. [http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3 Available online] ] is classified by some in the "Sigmoceros" genus as "Sigmoceros lichtensteinii".

Two other species less commonly known as 'Hartebeest' are classed in the Damaliscus genus.:*Korrigum (Senegal Hartebeest), "Damaliscus lunatus korrigum":*Tiang (Tiang Hartebeest), "Damaliscus lunatus tiang"

Etymology

The word "hartebeest" comes from Afrikaans and was originally called "hertebeest". The name was given by the Boers who thought it resembled deer (hert in Dutch, the Dutch 'beest' means 'beast' in English).Llewellyn, E.C. (1936) The Influence of Low Dutch on the English Vocabulary. Chapter XIV The Influence of South African Dutch or Afrikaans on the English Vocabulary. Oxford University Press, Londen. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/llew001infl01_01/llew001infl01_01_0016.htm Available online] ]

ee also

*Megalotragus

References

External links

* [http://www.awf.org/wildlives/121 Hartebeest: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation]
* [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Alcelaphus_buselaphus.html Animal Diversity Web Alcelaphus buselaphus (hartebeest)]