gazelle

 

name for the many species of delicate, graceful antelopes of the genus Gazella, inhabiting arid, open country. Most gazelles are found only in Africa, but several species range over N Africa and SW Asia; the Persian, or goitered, gazelle (Gazella subgutterosa) is found only in S and central Asia. Gazelles are rather small antelopes, most standing from 2 to 3 ft (60–90 cm) high at the shoulder, and are generally fawn colored. Some are strikingly marked with black and white. In most the horns are heavily ringed and curve backward and inward in the form of a lyre. Gazelles live in herds on grassy plains and in scrub country. They are very swift animals; some can maintain a speed of 30 mi (48 km) per hr indefinitely, with bursts of 60 mi (96 km) per hour. They are also powerful jumpers. Largest of the gazelles is the addra, or dorcas gazelle (G. dorcas), of the Sahara Desert. It has very long legs and a long neck and is white over most of its body. Closely related to the true gazelles are the Tibetan and Mongolian gazelles (species of the genus Procapra), the blackbuck of Asia, and the African impala. Gazelles are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae.

Gazelle
Thomson's Gazelle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Antilopinae Genus: Gazella Blainville, 1816
Species
Several, see text

A gazelle is an antelope of the genus Gazella, although the three members of the genus Procapra also widely are referred to as gazelles. Gazelles are known as swift animals; they are able to reach high speeds^[clarify] for long periods of time. Gazelles are mostly found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa, but they are also found in southwest Asia. They tend to live in herds and will eat less coarse, easily digestible plants and leaves.

The gazelle species are classified as part of the order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae and genus Gazella. Members of the Articodacycla order are principally distinguished by the foot; they have an even number of toes (the bovid family comprises 6 genera and 12 species). The taxonomy of the genus Gazella is a confused one, and the classification of species and subspecies has been an unsettled issue. Three species—the Red Gazelle, the Arabian Gazelle, and the Queen of Sheba's Gazelle—are extinct. All other gazelle species are listed as endangered, to varying degrees.

A recognizable example of the gazelle is Thomson's Gazelle (Gazella thomsonii), which is around 60 to 90 cm (23 to 35 inches) in height at the shoulder and is coloured brown and white with a distinguishing black stripe (as in the picture on the right). The males have long, often curved, horns. Tommies, as they are familiarly called, exhibit a distinctive behaviour of stotting (running slowly and jumping high before fleeing) when they are threatened by predators such as lions or cheetahs. This is a primary piece of evidence for the handicap principle advanced by Amotz Zahavi in the study of animal communication and behaviour.

Gallery

Grant's Gazelle	Mhorr Gazelle	Thomson's Gazelle	Goitered Gazelle
Chinkara	Dorcas Gazelle	Cuvier's Gazelle	Thomson's Gazelle

Species

• Subgenus Gazella
  • Mountain Gazelle, G. gazella
  • Speke's Gazelle, G. spekei
  • Dorcas Gazelle, G. dorcas
  • Saudi Gazelle, G. saudiya
  • Chinkara, also known as Indian Gazelle, G. bennettii
• Subgenus Eudorcas
  • Thomson's Gazelle, G. thomsonii
  • Red-fronted Gazelle, G. rufifrons
• Subgenus Nanger
  • Dama Gazelle, G. dama
  • Grant's Gazelle, G. granti
  • Soemmerring's Gazelle, G. soemmerringii
• Subgenus Trachelocele
  • Cuvier's Gazelle, G. cuvieri
  • Rhim Gazelle, G. leptoceros
  • Goitered Gazelle, G. subgutturosa

Extinct

Fossils of genus Gazella are found in Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of Eurasia and Africa. The tiny Gazella borbonica is one of the earliest European gazelles, characterized by its small size and short legs. Gazelles disappeared from Europe at the start of Ice Age, but they survived in Africa and Middle East. Three species become extinct in recent times due to human causes

Recent extinctions

• Subgenus Gazella

• Arabian Gazelle, G. arabica
• Queen of Sheba's Gazelle, G. bilkis

• Subgenus Eudorcas

• Red Gazelle, G. rufina

Prehistoric extinctions

• • Gazella borbonica - European Gazelle
  • Gazella thomasi' - Thomas's Gazelle
  • Gazella praethomsoni
  • Gazella negevensis
  • Gazella triquetrucornis
  • Gazella negevensis
  • Gazella capricornis
  • Gazella mytilinii
• Subgenus Vetagazella
  • Gazella sinensis
  • Gazella deperdita
  • Gazella pilgrimi- Steppe Gazelle
  • Gazella leile - Leile's Gazelle
  • Gazella praegaudryi - Japanese Gazelle
  • Gazella gaudryi
  • Gazella paotehensis
  • Gazella dorcadoides
  • Gazella altidens
  • Gazella mongolica - Mongolian Gazelle
  • Gazella lydekkeri - Ice Age Gazelle
  • Gazella blacki
  • Gazella parasinensis
  • Gazella kueitensis
  • Gazella paragutturosa
• Subgenus Gazella
  • Gazella janenschi
• Subgenus Trachelocele
  • Gazella atlantica
  • Gazella tingitana
• Subgenus Nanger
  • Gazella vanhoepeni
• Subgenus Deprezia
  • Gazella psolea

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