Antelope: Difference between revisions

The term '''antelope''' refers to an animal numerous extant or recently extinct species of the [[ruminant]] [[artiodactyls|artiodactyl]] family [[Bovidae]] that are [[indigenous (ecology)|indigenous]] to most of [[Africa]], [[India]], the [[Middle East]], [[Central Asia]], and a small area of [[Eastern Europe]]. Antelopes do not form a [[monophyletic]] group, as some antelopes are more closely related to other bovid groups, like [[Bovini|bovines]], [[Goat|goatsgoat]]s, and [[sheep]], than to other antelopes.

A better definition, also known as the "true antelopes,", includes only the [[genus|genera]] ''[[gazelle|Gazella]]'', ''[[Nanger]]'', ''[[Eudorcas]]'', and ''[[Antilope]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2019-10-01|title=Multilocus nuclear markers provide new insights into the origin and evolution of the blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra, Bovidae)|url=http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/63675/2/1-s2.0-S1055790319302866-mmc2.pdf|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|language=en|volume=139|pages=106560|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106560|issn=1055-7903|last1=Jana|first1=Ananya|last2=Karanth|first2=Praveen|pmid=31323336|s2cid=198135421}}</ref> One [[North America|North American]]n mammal, the [[pronghorn]] or “pronghorn"pronghorn antelope”antelope", is colloquially referred to as the "American antelope", despite the fact that it belongs to a completely different family ([[Antilocapridae]]) than the true Old-World antelopes; pronghorn are the sole extant member of an extinct prehistoric lineage that once included many unique species.

Although antelope are sometimes referred to, and easily misidentified as, “deer”"deer" ([[cervids]]), true deer are only distantly related to antelope. While antelope are found in abundance in Africa, only one deer species is found on the continent—the [[Barbary stag|Barbary red deer]] of Northern Africa. By comparison, numerous deer species are usually found in regions of the world with fewer or no antelope species present, such as throughout [[Southeast Asia]], [[Europe]] and all of [[the Americas]]. This is likely due to competition over shared resources, as deer and antelope fill a virtually identical [[ecological niche]] in their respective habitats. Countries like India, however, have large populations of endemic deer and antelope, with the different species generally keeping to their own “niches”"niches" with minimal overlap.

TheThere are 91 antelope species, most of which are native to Africa, occur in about 30 genera. The classification of tribes or subfamilies within [[BovidBovoidea]]ae is still a matter of debate, with several alternative systems proposed.

If escape is not an option, antelope are capable of fighting back. [[Oryx|Oryxes]]es in particular have been known to stand sideways like many unrelated bovids to appear larger than they are, and may charge at a predator as a last resort.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/oryx | title=Oryx |publisher=San Diego Zoo}}</ref>