User:SebastianHelm/Giraffe
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The following table, which compares the different hypotheses for giraffe species, has been copied from Giraffe#Species and subspecies, with some columns, above all the Description column, reduced so as to fit on a page.
Abbreviations: G: Giraffa or giraffe, c: camelopardalis, N: Northern, S: Southern, SA: South African, WA: West African. ♂︎ml: median lump in males – ♂︎ml+ well developed, ♂︎ml- absent ♂︎ml(-) usually less developed or ♂︎ml(+) usually present. Abbreviations only in headlines: simple numbers: different taxonomies such as 1 = One species taxonomy, wild: number in the wild, zoo: number in zoos. In the Latin name, an asterisk for the epitheton indicates that it can be either “camelopardalis” or “giraffa” or left out, depending on the taxonomy used.
Background coloring of the taxonomy columns has been taken from the color of the distribution map, as far as possible.
| 1 | 3[1] | 4[2][3] | 8[4] | 9 | wild | zoo | Image | Description | Fur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. (G. c.) [5][6] |
N. g. (G. c.) |
Kordofan g. (G. c. antiquorum) [7] |
2000 [5] |
65[t 1] | ,_crop_(cropped).jpg) |
Smaller and more irregular spots than Nubian g. ♂︎ml+.[10]: 51–52 [t 2] | |||
| Nubian g. (G. c. c.) [t 3] |
2,150 [5] |
14[t 4] | ,_crop_&_flip_(cropped).jpg) |
Sharply defined chestnut-coloured spots surrounded by mostly white lines, none on underside.[13] ♂︎ml+.[10]: 51 | |||||
| Rothschild's g. (G. c. rothschildi) |
1,500 [5][t 5] |
450 | _male_(7068054987),_crop_&_edit.jpg) |
Large dark patches with complete margins, sharp edges, paler radiating lines or streaks within them; rarely below the hocks. Some have 5 "horns".[10]: 53 | .jpg) | ||||
| WA g. (G. c. peralta) [14] [t 6] |
400 [5] |
? | .jpg) |
Lighter fur,[15]: 322 with red lobe-shaped blotches that reach below the hocks. The ossicones more erect. ♂︎ml+.[10]: 52–53 Most endangered. [t 7] | |||||
| Reticulated g. (G. c. reticulata) [16][t 8] |
8,660 [5] |
450 [9] |  |
Sharp-edged, reddish-brown polygonal patches divided by a network of thin white lines. Spots may or may not extend below the hocks. ♂︎ml+.[10]: 53 |  | ||||
| S. g. (G. *) |
Angolan g. (G. * angolensis) [17][t 9][t 10] |
13,000 [5] |
20[9] | .jpg) |
Large brown blotches with notched edges or angular extensions. Pattern on legs but not the upper part of the face. Neck and rump patches small. White ear patch.[10]: 51 | ||||
| SA g. (G. * g.) [19] [t 11] |
31,500 max. [5] |
45[9] | .jpg) |
Dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections" on a tawny background colour. Spots on legs (smaller). ♂︎ml(-).[10]: 52 | |||||
| Masai g. (G. * tippelskirchi) [17][t 12] |
32,550 max. [5] |
100[9] |  |
Varying from nearly round and smooth edged to oval shaped and incised or loped edged.[20] ♂︎ml(+).[10]: 54 [21] | .JPG) | ||||
| Thornicroft's g. (G. * thornicrofti) [17] [t 13] |
550 max. [5] |
0[9] |  |
Patches are notched and somewhat star-shaped, and may or may not extend across the legs. ♂︎ml(-).[10]: 54 | |||||
Notes
- Considerable confusion has existed over the status of this subspecies and G. c. peralta in zoos. In 2007, all alleged G. c. peralta in European zoos were shown to be, in fact, G. c. antiquorum.[8] With this correction, about 65 are kept in zoos.[9]
- The formerly recognised subspecies G. c. congoesis is now considered part of the Kordofan giraffe.
- The original phenotype is rare- a group is kept at Al Ain Zoo in the United Arab Emirates.[11] In 2003, this group numbered 14.[12]
- According to genetic analysis circa September 2016, it is conspecific with the Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis).[2]
- Giraffes in Cameroon were formerly believed to belong to this species, but are actually G. c. antiquorum. This error resulted in some confusion over its status in zoos, but in 2007, it was established that all "G. c. peralta" kept in European zoos are actually G. c. antiquorum. The same 2007 study found that the West African giraffe was more closely related to Rothschild's giraffe than the Kordofan, and its ancestor may have migrated from eastern to northern Africa and then to its current range with the development of the Sahara Desert. At its largest, Lake Chad may have acted as a barrier between the West African and Kordofan giraffes during the Holocene (before 5000 BC).[8]
- Reticulated giraffe also known as Somali giraffe
- Angolan giraffe also known as Namibian giraffe
- A 2009 genetic study on this subspecies suggested the northern Namib Desert and Etosha National Park populations form a separate subspecies.[18]
- South African giraffe also known as Cape giraffe
- Masai giraffe also known as Kilimanjaro giraffe
- Thornicroft's giraffe also known as Luangwa giraffe, or Rhodesian giraffe