The bambis, part 5: possible new species-names for klipspringers in southern Africa

...continued from https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/57595-the-bambis-part-4-a-new-species-of-klipspringer-in-southern-africa#

In my last Post I pointed out differences in the shape, pelage and colouration of the ear pinnae (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9777305) which suggest that the klipspringer currently called Oreotragus oreotragus oreotragus (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5027743) may deserve to be elevated in status from subspecies to species.

Another way in which O. o. oreotragus differs from other klipspringers, as previously pointed out by Groves and Grubb (2011), is in the direction of sexual dimorphism.

Most subspecies of klipspringers have females larger-bodied than males (e.g. transvaalensis https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-male-and-female-kruger-national-125491318.html and https://bcgforums.com/index.php?threads/tree-jumpers-klipspringer.1724/#lg=attachment3600&slide=0 and https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo/klipspringer-(oreotragus-oreotragus)-pair-marakele-national-park-limpopo/search/detailmodal-0_00465614.html and https://www.shutterstock.com/nb/image-photo/klipspringer-on-rocks-oreotragus-1800668752 and http://shutterstock.puzzlepix.hu/kep/1721670562 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/85968618 and http://shutterstock.puzzlepix.hu/kep/2025271877 and https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo-klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-male-and-female-kruger-national-naturephotography-image00537157.html).

However, in O. o. oreotragus it is males which are larger-bodied than females (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/48004873 and https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/klipspringer-gm894807432-247340953?irgwc=1&cid=IS&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=photostockeditor&clickid=xABUceQmnxyOWXNwUx0Mo3kTUkBV9%3AWltyGUyo0&utm_term=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=258824&irpid=1327686 and https://www.picuki.com/media/2541649438026069750 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74095767 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/41355314).

Klipspringers have been investigated genetically (http://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11427/19029/thesis_sci_2008_le_roex_nikki.pdf?sequence=1). There are indeed considerable genetic differences between the southwestern and northern/eastern klipspringers. On page 63, Le Roex (2008) states that "the level of differentiation between the S/SW and N/NE in particular is extremely high, it is comparable to some of the highest levels of intraspecific variation previously reported in bovids".

What this all means is that both the phenotypic and the genotypic evidence suggests that there are two, not one, species of klipspringers in southern Africa.

If so, what should we call them?

I am not a taxonomist, but this is my provisional understanding.

The first specimen formally named was in 1783, near Cape Town, by Zimmerman. The specific epithet was oreotragus.

As far as I know, the next specimen named was in 1853, in Ethiopia, by Temminck. The specific epithet was saltatrixoides.

Specimens from West and East Africa were named in 1899 (aceratos), 1902 (somalicus and schillingsi), 1911 (porteousi), and 1913 (aureus).

All names, besides the original oreotragus, applicable to southern Africa were relatively late: for example, transvaalensis 1917, tyleri in 1921, and stevensoni in 1946.

Although tyleri has come to be associated with Namibia, the first specimen was collected in Angola and tyleri actually occurs in only a limited part of Namibia.

Splitting klipspringers into two species would mean that the earliest name for the southwestern type is oreotragus (Zimmermann, 1783) and the earliest name for the northern/eastern type is saltatrixoides (Temminck, 1853).

Accordingly, the revised names in southern Africa would be as follows.

Oreotragus oreotragus would be the Cape klipspringer.

This occurs in Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa, plus Namibia south of Damaraland. No subspecies have been named. However, there is noticeable variation from south (short) to north (long) in the length of the ear pinna (compare https://www.picuki.com/media/2650164813250477883 and https://www.picuki.com/media/2643120752968167264 with https://www.picuki.com/media/2635206161946091311), which may be merely ecotypic or may possibly indicate a subspecies.

Oreotragus saltatrixoides would be the common klipspringer.

This occurs widely from Free State and Kwazulu-Natal provinces of South Africa to north of the equator. The subspecies in southern Africa are transvaalensis (southernmost, including southeastern Botswana and Lesotho), stevensoni (Zimbabwe and eastern Botswana), and tyleri (Angola plus northern Namibia).

The only zone of intergradation between these two species seems to be in Damaraland in north-central Namibia, where the phenotype seems intermediate between Oreotragus oreotragus and Oreotragus saltatrixoides tyleri (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13071379).

The following photos illustrate each of these forms:

Oreotragus oreotragus https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo/klipspringer-(oreotragus-oreotragus)-standing-on-a-rock-karoo-national-park/search/detailmodal-0_90836936.html and https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo/klipspringer-(oreotragus-oreotragus)-female-karoo-national-park-south/search/detailmodal-0_90787694.html and https://www.alamy.com/klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-in-the-swartberg-mountains-western-cape-province-south-africa-image343203766.html and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21596745

Oreotragus saltatrixoides transvaalensis https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/photo/male-klipspringer-antelope-oreotragus-oreotragus-royalty-free-image/1143064384?adppopup=true and https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-oreotragus-oreotragus-nature-image00583953.html and https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/close-up-of-klipspringer-high-on-rock-looking-at-camera-gm1043353000-279292167 and https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/klipspringer-standing-on-rocky-outcrop-kruger-1183412404

Oreotragus saltatrixoides stevensoni https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo/klipspringer-antelope-pair-zimbabwe/search/detailmodal-0_90847026.html and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-portrait-matopos-national-park-125443751.html and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-matobo-national-park-zimbabwe-11846957.html and https://www.picuki.com/media/2560970576542034955

Oreotragus saltatrixoides tyleri https://www.flickr.com/photos/piazzi1969/29760639586/in/photostream/ and https://es.123rf.com/photo_131164993_female-klipspringer-oreotragus-oreotragus-in-etosha-national-park-in-namibia-africa-.html and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-klipspringer-antelope-oreotragus-oreotragus-female-hobatere-namibia-15441218.html and https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-klipspringer-namibia-image10777195

to be continued in https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/57747-the-bambis-part-6-a-selection-of-the-most-revealing-photos-of-klipspringers#...

Publicado el octubre 3, 2021 02:39 MAÑANA por milewski milewski

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Publicado por milewski hace más de 2 años

Here are unusually clear illustrations of the ear pinna in the Cape klipspringer: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19912402.

Publicado por milewski hace más de 2 años
Publicado por milewski hace más de 2 años

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