Asinus

Asinus
Turkmenian kulan (Equus hemionus kulan)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	Equidae
Genus:	Equus
Subgenus:	Asinus Gray, 1824
Type species
Equus hemionus
Species
Equus africanus Equus asinus Equus hemionus Equus kiang † Equus hydruntinus
Range of the three living wild ass species

Asinus is a subgenus of Equus that encompasses several subspecies of the Equidae commonly known as wild asses or wild donkeys, characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, lack of a true withers, a coarse mane and tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.

The common donkey is the best-known domesticated representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and feral varieties. Among the wild ass species, several never-domesticated species live in Asia and Africa, with the extinct European wild ass species formerly inhabiting Europe.

Taxonomy

• Genus: Equus
  • Subgenus: Asinus
    • African wild ass, Equus africanus ^{[1] [2]}
      • Nubian wild ass, Equus africanus africanus
      • Somali wild ass, Equus africanus somaliensis
      • Atlas wild ass, †Equus africanus atlanticus (extinct 1st millienium AD)
      • Donkey, Equus africanus asinus
    • Onager or Asiatic wild ass, Equus hemionus
      • Mongolian wild ass or khulan, Equus hemionus hemionus
      • Indian wild ass or khur, Equus hemionus khur
      • Turkmenian kulan, Equus hemionus kulan ^[3]
      • Persian onager or gur, Equus hemionus onager
      • Syrian wild ass or achdari, †Equus hemionus hemippus (extinct 1927)
    • Kiang or Tibetan wild ass, Equus kiang
      • Western kiang, Equus kiang kiang
      • Eastern kiang, Equus kiang holdereri
      • Southern kiang, Equus kiang polyodon
      • Northern kiang, Equus kiang chu
    • Hydruntine or European wild ass, †Equus hydruntinus (extinct 1st millennium BC)

Cladogram based on whole nuclear genomes after Özkan et al. 2024. ^[4]

Asinus (asses)	Equus africanus + Equus asinus African wild ass + domestic donkeys † Equus hydruntinus (European wild ass/hydruntine) † Equus hemionus hemippus (Syrian wild ass) Equus hemionus onager (Persian onager) Equus hemionus hemionus (Mongolian wild ass) + Equus (hemionus) kiang (kiang)

References

1. Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder, ed. (2005). "Equus asinus". Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
2. International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (2003). "Usage of 17 specific names based on wild species which are pre-dated by or contemporary with those based on domestic animals (Lepidoptera, Osteichthyes, Mammalia): conserved. Opinion 2027 (Case 3010)" (Summary). Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 60 (1): 81–kksiss84.
3. "Factsheet: Kulan | Common names: Turkmen Kulan, Turkmenian Wild Ass (Horses and Asses (Perissodactyla Equidae) > Equus hemionus > Equus hemionus kulan)". Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
4. Özkan, Mustafa; Gürün, Kanat; Yüncü, Eren; Vural, Kıvılcım Başak; Atağ, Gözde; Akbaba, Ali; Fidan, Fatma Rabia; Sağlıcan, Ekin; Altınışık, Ezgi N.; Koptekin, Dilek; Pawłowska, Kamilla; Hodder, Ian; Adcock, Sarah E.; Arbuckle, Benjamin S.; Steadman, Sharon R. (July 2024). "The first complete genome of the extinct European wild ass ( Equus hemionus hydruntinus )". Molecular Ecology. 33 (14) e17440. Bibcode:2024MolEc..33E7440O. doi: 10.1111/mec.17440 . hdl: 11511/110286 . ISSN   0962-1083. PMID   38946459.

External links

• "Ass"  . New International Encyclopedia . 1905.