Equus capensis
| Equus capensis Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Family: | Equidae |
| Genus: | Equus |
| Subgenus: | Hippotigris |
| Species: | †E. capensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Equus capensis Broom, 1909 | |
Equus capensis, commonly referred to as the Giant Cape zebra, is an extinct species of zebra[1] that roamed southern Africa with possible occurrences reaching to northeastern and Eastern Africa.[1][2][3]
Fossils attributed to E. capensis range from the Early Pleistocene to the early Holocene. The taxa was first described by British-South African palaeontologist and professor of zoology Robert Broom in 1909[2] from fossil material found near Cape Town. Skeletal measurements suggest a height of approximately 4 feet 11 inches at the shoulder and an average body mass of approximately 880 pounds.[4]
The animal's taxonomic status has been debated. Mitochondrial DNA from specimens identified as E. capensis falls within the genetic diversity of the plains zebra, Equus quagga[3], although some researchers continue to recognize it as a distinct species.
E. capensis has often been interpreted as a grazer, but dental-wear evidence from the Elandsfontein archeological site suggests that its diet also included browse[5]. Proposed explanations for its disappearance include environmental change, loss of coastal habitat following interglacial sea-level rise, and human predation[2], although the relative contributions of these factors remain debated.
References
[edit]- 1 2 Helm, Charles W.; Carr, Andrew S.; Cawthra, Hayley C.; Vynck, Jan C. De; Dixon, Mark G.; Gräbe, Pieter-Jan; Thesen, Guy H. H.; Venter, Jan A. (June 2023). "Tracking the extinct giant Cape zebra (Equus capensis) on the Cape south coast of South Africa". Quaternary Research. 114: 178–190. Bibcode:2023QuRes.114..178H. doi:10.1017/qua.2023.1. ISSN 0033-5894.
- 1 2 3 Churcher, C. S. (January 2006). "Distribution and history of the Cape zebra ( Equus capensis ) in the Quarternary of Africa". Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 61 (2): 89–95. Bibcode:2006TRSSA..61...89C. doi:10.1080/00359190609519957. ISSN 0035-919X.
- 1 2 Sokolowski, Kathryn G.; O’Brien, Kaedan; Braun, David R.; Tyler Faith, J. (2024-09-02). "Paleoecological implications of the large mammals from a late glacial hyena den at Besaansklip (southwestern Cape, South Africa)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 44 (5) e2481301. Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:2024JVPal..4481301S. doi:10.1080/02724634.2025.2481301. ISSN 0272-4634.
- ↑ Eisenmann, Vera (January 2000). "EQUUS CAPENSIS (MAMMALIA, PERISSODACTYLA) FROM ELANDSFONTEIN" (PDF). Palaeontologia Africana. 36: 91–96. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ↑ Kaiser, Thomas M.; Franz-Odendaal, Tamara A. (November 2004). "A mixed-feeding Equus species from the middle pleistocene of South Africa". Quaternary Research. 62 (3): 316–323. Bibcode:2004QuRes..62..316K. doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2004.09.002. ISSN 0033-5894.
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