Bovidae is a family of hoofed ruminant mammals in the order Artiodactyla. A member of this family is called a bovid. They are widespread throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, and are found in a variety of biomes, most typically forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland. Bovids range in size from the long royal antelope to the long gaur, which can reach in weight. Over a billion each of domesticated sheep, cattle, and goats, and over 200 million domesticated water buffalo, 14 million domestic yak, and 300,000 domesticated gayal are used in farming worldwide. Many wild species do not have population estimates, though the impala, springbok, and harnessed bushbuck have population sizes of over one million, while several species of bovid are considered endangered or critically endangered with populations as low as 25. One species, the scimitar oryx, is extinct in the wild, the bluebuck went extinct in the last 200 years, and the aurochs went extinct 400 years ago. A third extinct species, the red gazelle, potentially never existed, and the kouprey is potentially extinct, with no sightings since 1969.
The 146 extant species of Bovidae are split into 52 genera within 8 subfamilies: Aepycerotinae, or the impala; Alcelaphinae, containing the bontebok, hartebeest, wildebeest, and relatives; Antilopinae, containing several antelope, gazelles, and relatives; Bovinae, containing cattle, buffalos, bison, and other antelopes; Caprinae, containing goats, sheep, ibex, serows and relatives; Cephalophinae, or duikers; Hippotraginae, containing the addax, oryx, and relatives; and Reduncinae, or reedbuck and kob antelopes. Extinct species have also been placed into these subfamilies, as well as the extinct Hypsodontinae, Oiocerinae, and Tethytraginae subfamilies. Over one hundred extinct Bovidae species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.
Conventions
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the bovid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "".
Classification
The family Bovidae consists of 146 extant species belonging to 52 genera in 8 subfamilies and divided into hundreds of extant subspecies. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species. Additionally, the bluebuck went extinct in the last 200 years, and the aurochs went extinct 400 years ago.
Subfamily Aepycerotinae
Genus Aepyceros: one species
Subfamily Alcelaphinae
Genus Alcelaphus: one species
Genus Beatragus: one species
Genus Connochaetes: two species
Genus Damaliscus: two species
Subfamily Antilopinae
Genus Ammodorcas: one species
Genus Antidorcas: one species
Genus Antilope: one species
Genus Dorcatragus: one species
Genus Eudorcas: five species
Genus Gazella: ten species
Genus Litocranius: one species
Genus Madoqua: four species
Genus Nanger: three species
Genus Neotragus: three species
Genus Oreotragus: one species
Genus Ourebia: one species
Genus Procapra: three species
Genus Raphicerus: three species
Genus Saiga: one species
Subfamily Bovinae
Genus Bison: two species
Genus Bos: ten species (one extinct) Genus Boselaphus: one species Genus Bubalus: five species Genus Pseudoryx: one species Genus Syncerus: one species Genus Taurotragus: two species Genus Tetracerus: one species Genus Tragelaphus: seven species Subfamily Caprinae Genus Ammotragus: one species Genus Arabitragus: one species Genus Budorcas: one species Genus Capra: nine species Genus Capricornis: four species Genus Hemitragus: one species Genus Naemorhedus: four species Genus Nilgiritragus: one species Genus Oreamnos: one species Genus Ovibos: one species Genus Ovis: seven species Genus Pantholops: one species Genus Pseudois: one species Genus Rupicapra: two species Subfamily Cephalophinae Genus Cephalophus: fifteen species Genus Philantomba: three species Genus Sylvicapra: one species Subfamily Hippotraginae Genus Addax: one species Genus Hippotragus: three species (one extinct) Genus Oryx: four species Subfamily Reduncinae Genus Kobus: five species Genus Pelea: one species Genus Redunca: three species