Aepyceros
Genus of mammals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aepyceros is a genus of African antelope that contains a single living species, the impala (Aepyceros melampus). It is the only known member of the tribe Aepycerotini.[1]
| Aepyceros | |
|---|---|
| |
| Black-faced impala (Aepyceros melampus ssp. petersi) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Aepycerotinae Gray, 1872 |
| Tribe: | Aepycerotini Gray, 1872 |
| Genus: | Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847 |
| Type species | |
| Antilope melampus Lichtenstein, 1812. | |
| Species | |
|
Aepyceros melampus - Impala | |
Two extinct species are known, Aepyceros datoadeni[2] and Aepyceros shungurae.[3] A third species, Aepyceros premelampus has been transferred to a new genus, Afrotragus.[4]
Etymology
The generic name Aepyceros (lit. ‘high-horned’) comes from Ancient Greek αἰπύς (aipus, 'high, steep') + κέρας (keras, 'horn').[5][6]