Equus caballus, Horse: Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Horse lineage

cellular organisms - Eukaryota - Fungi/Metazoa group - Metazoa - Eumetazoa - Bilateria - Coelomata - Deuterostomia - Chordata - Craniata - Vertebrata - Gnathostomata - Teleostomi - Euteleostomi - Sarcopterygii - Tetrapoda - Amniota - Mammalia - Theria - Eutheria - Laurasiatheria - Perissodactyla - Equidae - Equus - Equus subg. Equus - Equus caballus

Taxonomic place of Equus caballus between other Equidae

Horses (family Equidae), together with rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae) and tapirs (Tapiridae), belong to order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates). The horses include only two genera Equus and Hippidion. Hippidions (Greek for "like a pony") that inhabited plains of South America 2.5-2 million years ago became extinct during the great late Pleistocene megafaunal extinction around 10,000 years BP (before present).

Tapir (Chicago zoo)	Rhinoceros (Maryland zoo)

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• Equus
  • Equus
    hydruntinus European ass (Synonym: Encebra), extinct. Was commonly hunted by Paleolithic people. Was adapted to semi-arid conditions. Closely related to the hemiones (Asiatic asses) than to any other equid. Social organization: resource defense territoriality (Type II). The geographic range - until now believed to be restricted to Europe, Israel, and Turkey - can be extended towards East as far as Iran (Equus sf. hydruntinus fossil specimens).
  • Equus kiang Indian kiang or Tibetan wild ass. The largest wild ass species in the world. Live in alpine grass lands, adapted to dry open-county climate. Social organization: harem.
  • Equus subg.
    Amerhippus
    • Equus neogeus Synonym: Equus (Amerhippus) neogeus, extinct. Appeared in South America after Hippidion and was larger. Was adapted to open grasslands as well as to mountain habitats.
  • Equus subg.
    Asinus Donkey. Ass.
    • Equus asinus Domestic donkeys are widely distributed throughout the world. True wild asses are found only in northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Social organization: male territorial (Type II). Subspecies: Equus asinus africanus, Equus asinus asinus, Equus asinus somalicus.
       
      
  • Equus subg.
    Dolichohippus
    • Equus grevyi Grevy's zebra. Imperial zebra. The largest species of zebra. Found in subdesert regions and arid bushed grasslands in Somalia, northern Kenya and Ethiopia. Status: endangered because of loss of habitat, overhunting and diseases spread by domestic stock.
       
      
  • Equus subg. Equus Horses.
    • Equus caballus Domesticated horses and ponies.
    • Equus przewalskii Rare and endangered, the only true wild horse; native to the steppes of central Asia.
       
      
  • Equus subg.
    Hemionus Onager.
    • Equus hemionus Onager. Kulan. Asian wild asses. In the late Pleistocene, lived as far east as West Germany. The major population (over half the total number) is found in southern Mongolia (Equus hemionus luteus). Other subspecies: Equus hemionus kulan, Equus hemionus onager.
  • Equus subg.
    Hippotigris
    • Equus burchellii Burchell's zebra. Plains zebra.
       
      
      • Equus burchellii
        antiquorum Chapman's zebra or the Damara zebra (also Damaraland). Occurs from Southern Ethiopia to Angola, Namibia and eastern South Africa. Characterized by a pattern of broad, dark stripes alternating with thin, light shadow-stripes.
      • Equus burchellii
        boehmi Grant's zebra. Most numerous and common species of zebra.
      • Equus burchellii
        burchellii Extinct. Lacked stripes on the hindquarters.
      • Equus burchellii
        chapmani Chapman's zebra.
      • Equus burchellii
        quagga Quagga, now extinct. Yellowish-brown with stripes that were confined to the head, neck and forebody.
    • Equus zebra Mountain zebra. Two subspecies: Cape mountain zebras, E. z. zebra, and Hartmann's mountain zebras, E. z. hartmannae. The former is found only in South Africa. Hartmann's mountain zebras occupy an arid region in a mountainous transition zone on the edge of the Namib Desert.

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