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Zebra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zebras
Equus quagga boehmi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Perissodactyla
Family:
Equidae
Genus:
Equus
Subgenus:
Hippotigris
Species
Equus zebra
Equus hartmannae
Equus quagga
Equus grevyi
The Zebra is a part
of the horse family, Equidae, native to central and southern Africa. They are
most well known for their distinctive black and white stripes.
Stripes
A mother
nursing her young blends into a stand of deadwood.
Zebras are either white
with black stripes, or black with white stripes.[1]
These stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main
body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. The
"zebra crossing" is named after the zebra's white on black stripes.
Zoologists believe that the
stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. This is accomplished in several ways. First,
the vertical striping helps the zebra hide in grass. While seeming absurd at
first glance considering that grass is neither white nor black, it is very
effective against the zebra's main predator, the lion, which is color blind. A
zebra standing still in tall grass may not be noticed at all by a lion and as
zebras are herd animals the stripes help in camouflage is by confusing the lion
— a number of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large
animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to
attack.[2] A herd of zebras scattering to avoid a
predator will also represent to that predator a confused mass of vertical
stripes travelling in multiple directions making it difficult for the predator
to track an individual visually as it separates from its herdmates.
Stripes are also believed
to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern
allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals.
A more recent theory,
supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is also an
effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.[citation
needed] Alternative theories include that the stripes coincide
with fat patterning beneath the skin, serving as a thermoregulatory mechanism
for the zebra, and that wounds sustained disrupt the striping pattern to
clearly indicate the fitness of the animal to potential mates.
African bushmen of Guinea
refer to these stripes in their native Madango as "sukuku" which
means "lightning" and plays an important role in the customs of the
eastern region of Kankan. In ancient beliefs it was thought zebras were sent by
the spirit of lightning and rain to remind people that time changes, good
seasons of abundant fertility might turn out to be droughts, that giving life
may take another's life away, that black can't exist without white.
Species
Chapman's
Zebras grazing in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
There are four extant species,
as well as several subspecies. Zebra populations vary a great deal, and the
relationships between and the taxonomic status of several of the subspecies are
well known.
The Plains Zebra (Equus
quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had
about twelve subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa.
It, or particular subspecies of it, have also been known as the Common Zebra,
the Dauw, Burchell's Zebra (actually the subspecies Equus quagga burchelli),
and the Quagga (another extinct subspecies, Equus quagga quagga).
The Mountain Zebra (Equus
zebra) of southwest Africa tends to have a sleek coat with a white belly
and narrower stripes than the Plains Zebra. It has two subspecies and is
classified as endangered.
Grevy's Zebra (Equus
grevyi) is the largest type, with an erect mane, and a long, narrow head
making it appear rather mule-like. It is an inhabitant of the semi-arid grasslands
of Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya. The Grevy's Zebra is one of the
rarest species of zebra around today, and is classified as endangered.
Although zebra species may
have overlapping ranges, they do not interbreed. This held true even when the
Quagga and Burchell's race of Plains Zebra shared the same area. According to
Dorcas McClintock in "A Natural History Of Zebras," Grevy's zebra has
46 chromosomes; plains zebras have 44 chromosomes and mountain zebras have 32
chromosomes. In captivity, Plains Zebras have been crossed with mountain
zebras. The hybrid foals lacked a dewlap and resembled the Plains Zebra apart
from their larger ears and their hindquarters pattern. Attempts to breed a
Grevy's zebra stallion to Mountain Zebra mares resulted in a high rate of
miscariage.
Wikipedia
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Zebras
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Equus quagga boehmi |
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Equus zebra |
The Zebra is a part
of the horse family, Equidae, native to central and southern Africa. They are
most well known for their distinctive black and white stripes.
Stripes
A mother
nursing her young blends into a stand of deadwood.
Zebras are either white
with black stripes, or black with white stripes.[1]
These stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main
body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. The
"zebra crossing" is named after the zebra's white on black stripes.
Zoologists believe that the
stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. This is accomplished in several ways. First,
the vertical striping helps the zebra hide in grass. While seeming absurd at
first glance considering that grass is neither white nor black, it is very
effective against the zebra's main predator, the lion, which is color blind. A
zebra standing still in tall grass may not be noticed at all by a lion and as
zebras are herd animals the stripes help in camouflage is by confusing the lion
— a number of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large
animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to
attack.[2] A herd of zebras scattering to avoid a
predator will also represent to that predator a confused mass of vertical
stripes travelling in multiple directions making it difficult for the predator
to track an individual visually as it separates from its herdmates.
Stripes are also believed
to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern
allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals.
A more recent theory,
supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is also an
effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.[citation
needed] Alternative theories include that the stripes coincide
with fat patterning beneath the skin, serving as a thermoregulatory mechanism
for the zebra, and that wounds sustained disrupt the striping pattern to
clearly indicate the fitness of the animal to potential mates.
African bushmen of Guinea
refer to these stripes in their native Madango as "sukuku" which
means "lightning" and plays an important role in the customs of the
eastern region of Kankan. In ancient beliefs it was thought zebras were sent by
the spirit of lightning and rain to remind people that time changes, good
seasons of abundant fertility might turn out to be droughts, that giving life
may take another's life away, that black can't exist without white.
Species
Chapman's
Zebras grazing in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
There are four extant species,
as well as several subspecies. Zebra populations vary a great deal, and the
relationships between and the taxonomic status of several of the subspecies are
well known.
The Plains Zebra (Equus
quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had
about twelve subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa.
It, or particular subspecies of it, have also been known as the Common Zebra,
the Dauw, Burchell's Zebra (actually the subspecies Equus quagga burchelli),
and the Quagga (another extinct subspecies, Equus quagga quagga).
The Mountain Zebra (Equus
zebra) of southwest Africa tends to have a sleek coat with a white belly
and narrower stripes than the Plains Zebra. It has two subspecies and is
classified as endangered.
Grevy's Zebra (Equus
grevyi) is the largest type, with an erect mane, and a long, narrow head
making it appear rather mule-like. It is an inhabitant of the semi-arid grasslands
of Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya. The Grevy's Zebra is one of the
rarest species of zebra around today, and is classified as endangered.
Although zebra species may
have overlapping ranges, they do not interbreed. This held true even when the
Quagga and Burchell's race of Plains Zebra shared the same area. According to
Dorcas McClintock in "A Natural History Of Zebras," Grevy's zebra has
46 chromosomes; plains zebras have 44 chromosomes and mountain zebras have 32
chromosomes. In captivity, Plains Zebras have been crossed with mountain
zebras. The hybrid foals lacked a dewlap and resembled the Plains Zebra apart
from their larger ears and their hindquarters pattern. Attempts to breed a
Grevy's zebra stallion to Mountain Zebra mares resulted in a high rate of
miscariage.
Wikipedia
A mother
nursing her young blends into a stand of deadwood.
Zebras are either white
with black stripes, or black with white stripes.[1]
These stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main
body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. The
"zebra crossing" is named after the zebra's white on black stripes.
Zoologists believe that the
stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. This is accomplished in several ways. First,
the vertical striping helps the zebra hide in grass. While seeming absurd at
first glance considering that grass is neither white nor black, it is very
effective against the zebra's main predator, the lion, which is color blind. A
zebra standing still in tall grass may not be noticed at all by a lion and as
zebras are herd animals the stripes help in camouflage is by confusing the lion
— a number of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large
animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to
attack.[2] A herd of zebras scattering to avoid a
predator will also represent to that predator a confused mass of vertical
stripes travelling in multiple directions making it difficult for the predator
to track an individual visually as it separates from its herdmates.
Stripes are also believed
to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern
allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals.
A more recent theory,
supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is also an
effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.[citation
needed] Alternative theories include that the stripes coincide
with fat patterning beneath the skin, serving as a thermoregulatory mechanism
for the zebra, and that wounds sustained disrupt the striping pattern to
clearly indicate the fitness of the animal to potential mates.
African bushmen of Guinea
refer to these stripes in their native Madango as "sukuku" which
means "lightning" and plays an important role in the customs of the
eastern region of Kankan. In ancient beliefs it was thought zebras were sent by
the spirit of lightning and rain to remind people that time changes, good
seasons of abundant fertility might turn out to be droughts, that giving life
may take another's life away, that black can't exist without white.
Species
Chapman's
Zebras grazing in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
There are four extant species,
as well as several subspecies. Zebra populations vary a great deal, and the
relationships between and the taxonomic status of several of the subspecies are
well known.
The Plains Zebra (Equus
quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had
about twelve subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa.
It, or particular subspecies of it, have also been known as the Common Zebra,
the Dauw, Burchell's Zebra (actually the subspecies Equus quagga burchelli),
and the Quagga (another extinct subspecies, Equus quagga quagga).
The Mountain Zebra (Equus
zebra) of southwest Africa tends to have a sleek coat with a white belly
and narrower stripes than the Plains Zebra. It has two subspecies and is
classified as endangered.
Grevy's Zebra (Equus
grevyi) is the largest type, with an erect mane, and a long, narrow head
making it appear rather mule-like. It is an inhabitant of the semi-arid grasslands
of Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya. The Grevy's Zebra is one of the
rarest species of zebra around today, and is classified as endangered.
Although zebra species may
have overlapping ranges, they do not interbreed. This held true even when the
Quagga and Burchell's race of Plains Zebra shared the same area. According to
Dorcas McClintock in "A Natural History Of Zebras," Grevy's zebra has
46 chromosomes; plains zebras have 44 chromosomes and mountain zebras have 32
chromosomes. In captivity, Plains Zebras have been crossed with mountain
zebras. The hybrid foals lacked a dewlap and resembled the Plains Zebra apart
from their larger ears and their hindquarters pattern. Attempts to breed a
Grevy's zebra stallion to Mountain Zebra mares resulted in a high rate of
miscariage.