![]() ![]() One craniometric study from 1980 seemed to confirm its affiliation with the horse ( Equus ferus caballus), but early morphological studies have been noted as being erroneous. danielli and Hippotigris isabellinus, were based only on illustrations (iconotypes) of aberrant quagga specimens. Some subspecies and even species, such as E. Quagga subspecies were described on the basis of differences in striping patterns, but these differences were since attributed to individual variation within the same populations. ĭifferent subspecies of plains zebras were recognised as members of Equus quagga by early researchers, though much confusion existed over which species were valid. Most experts now suggest that the two subspecies represent two ends of a cline. As an example of this, Shortridge placed the two in the now disused subgenus Quagga in 1934. The extinct population was long thought very close to the quagga, since it also showed limited striping on its hind parts. burchellii, after it was realised they were the same taxon. The extant northern population, the "Damara zebra", was later named Equus quagga antiquorum, which means that it is today also referred to as E. Historically, quagga taxonomy was further complicated because the extinct southernmost population of Burchell's zebra ( Equus quagga burchellii, formerly Equus burchellii burchellii) was thought to be a distinct subspecies (also sometimes thought a full species, E. ![]() ![]() quagga quagga under this scheme, and the other subspecies of the plains zebra are placed under E. As the quagga was scientifically described and named before the plains zebra, the trinomial name for the quagga becomes E. The British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902 was perhaps the first to suggest that the quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebra. Much debate has occurred over the status of the quagga in relation to the plains zebra. Traditionally, the quagga and the other plains and mountain zebras were placed in the subgenus Hippotigris. The quagga was originally classified as a distinct species, Equus quagga, in 1778 by Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert. ġ804 illustration by Samuel Daniell, which was the basis of the supposed subspecies E. The name is still used colloquially for the plains zebra. Tshwa llkoaah 'zebra' ), thereby being an onomatopoeic word, resembling the quagga's call, variously transcribed as "kwa-ha-ha", "kwahaah", or "oug-ga". It has been historically suggested that the name quagga is derived from the Khoikhoi word for zebra ( cf. The Quagga Project is trying to recreate the phenotype of hair coat pattern by selectively breeding the genetically closest subspecies, which is Burchell's zebra. In 1984, the quagga was the first extinct animal whose DNA was analysed. Only one quagga was ever photographed alive, and only 23 skins exist today. The last captive specimen died in Amsterdam on 12 August 1883. The last wild population lived in the Orange Free State the quagga was extinct in the wild by 1878. Some were taken to zoos in Europe, but breeding programmes were unsuccessful. They were once found in great numbers in the Karoo of Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State in South Africa.Īfter the European settlement of South Africa began, the quagga was extensively hunted, as it competed with domesticated animals for forage. Quaggas were said to be wild and lively, yet were also considered more docile than the related Burchell's zebra. Little is known about the quagga's behaviour, but it may have gathered into herds of 30–50. The distribution of stripes varied considerably between individuals. The rear was brown and without stripes, and appeared more horse-like. It was distinguished from other zebras by its limited pattern of primarily brown and white stripes, mainly on the front part of the body. The quagga is believed to have been around 257 cm (8 ft 5 in) long and 125–135 cm (4 ft 1 in – 4 ft 5 in) tall at the shoulder. A more recent study suggested that it was the southernmost cline or ecotype of the species. It was long thought to be a distinct species, but early genetic studies have supported it being a subspecies of plains zebra. The quagga ( / ˈ k w ɑː x ɑː/ or / ˈ k w æ ɡ ə/) ( Equus quagga quagga) is a subspecies of the plains zebra that was endemic to South Africa until it was hunted to extinction in the late 19th century. Hippotigris isabellinus Hamilton Smith, 1841.Hippotigris quagga Hamilton Smith, 1841. ![]()
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