Four-horned antelope | |
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Male four-horned antelope in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Tamil Nadu, India) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Bovidae |
Subfamily: | Bovinae |
Genus: | Tetracerus Leach, 1825 |
Species: | T. quadricornis |
Binomial name | |
Tetracerus quadricornis (Blainville, 1816) |
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Subspecies | |
T. q. quadricornis Hodgson, 1847 |
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Range map of the four-horned antelope | |
Synonyms[2] | |
List
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The four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), or chousingha, is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. This antelope has four horns, which distinguishes it from most of the other bovids, that have two horns (sparing a few such as the Jacob sheep). It is the sole member of the genus Tetracerus The species was first described by French zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville in 1816. Three subspecies are recognised. The four-horned antelope stands nearly 55–64 centimetres (22–25 in) at the shoulder. Both sexes weigh nearly 17–22 kilograms (37–49 lb). Slender with thin legs and a short tail, the four-horned antelope has a yellowish brown to reddish coat.One pair of horns is located between the ears, and the other on the forehead. The former pair (posterior horns) is always longer than the latter (anterior horns), which may even be mere fur-covered studs. While either of the former pair measures 8–12 centimetres (3.1–4.7 in), the other two measure 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in).
The four-horned antelope is diurnal (active mainly during the day). Though solitary by nature, the four-horned antelope may form loose groups of three to five-consisting of one or more adults, sometimes accompanied by juveniles. This elusive antelope feeds on grasses, herbs, shrubs, foliage, flowers and fruits. It needs to drink water frequently; as such it stays near water sources. Mating behaviour of the four-horned antelope has not been extensively observed. The age at which sexual maturity is gained and the time of the year when mating occurs have not been understood well. Gestation lasts about eight months, and results in the birth of one or two young. They are kept concealed for the first few weeks of their birth. The young remain with the mother for about a year.
The four-horned antelope tend to remain in areas with significant vegetation cover from grasses or heavy undergrowth, and avoid from human settlements. Earlier common throughout deciduous forests in India, the antelope now occurs in widely distributed, small populations. Most of the existing populations occur in India, and lower numbers can be found in adjoining Nepal. The four-horned antelope is threatened by the loss of its natural habitat due to agricultural expansion. In addition, the unusual four-horned skull and the horns has been a popular target for trophy hunters. The four-horned antelope is categorised as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Contents
Etymology
The scientific name of the four-horned antelope is Tetracerus quadricornis. The generic name Tetracerus is the combination of two Greek words: tetra ("four") and ceros ("horned").[3] The specific name quadricornis is made up of two Latin words: quadri ("four") and cornu ("horned"). The four-horned antelope is known by several vernacular names: chausingha, chowsingha, chousingha (Hindi for "four horns"), doda, ghutri (mainly in central India) (Hindi); kondu kuri (Kannada); chauka (Nepalese[disambiguation needed]); nari komboo marn (Tamil).[2]
Taxonomy and phylogeny
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Phylogenetic relationships of Boselaphini, the tribe of the four-horned antelope (Allard et. al 1992) |
The four-horned antelope is the sole member of the genus Tetracerus and placed in the family Bovidae. The species was first described by French zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville in 1816.[4] The authority for Tetracerus has been disputed; English zoologist William Elford Leach was identified-probably by an editor-as the authority in a footnote at the end of an 1825 publication by English naturalist Thomas Hardwicke.[5] A conflict followed, with zoologists Philip Sclater and Oldfield Thomas supporting Hardwicke as the authority. However, Leach was identified as the appropriate authority under Article 50.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.[2] The four-horned antelope has only one other relative in the tribe Boselaphini, the nilgai (the sole member of Boselaphus).
A 1992 phylogenetic study of the mtDNA sequences showed a strong possibility of a clade consisting of Boselaphini, Bovini and Tragelaphini. Bovini consists of the genera Bubalus, Bos, Pseudoryx (saola), Syncerus (African Buffalo), Bison and the extinct Pelorovis. Tragelaphini consists of two genera: Taurotragus (eland) and Tragelaphus. A closer relationship between Boselaphini and Tragelaphini was predicted,[6] and seconded by a similar study in 1999.[7]
Colin Groves identified three subspecies in 2003 on the basis of physical characteristics such as coat colour, body size and the number of horns:[4][8]
- T. q. quadricornis Hodgson, 1847
- T. q. iodes (Blainville, 1816)
- T. q. subquadricornis (Elliot, 1839)
Evolution
Though Boselaphini has no African representation today,[9] fossil evidence supports its presence in the continent in the prehistoric times, as early as the late Miocene-the two living antelopes of this tribe, in fact, have been found to have a closer relationship with the earliest bovids (like Eotragus species) than do the other bovids.[10][11] This tribe originated at least 8.9 million years ago, in much the same area where the four-horned antelope lives today, and may represent the most "primitive" of all living bovids, having changed the least since the origins of the family.[12] The extant and extinct boselaphine forms show similar development of the horn cores (the central bony part of the horn).[13]
Fossils of Protragoceros labidotus and Sivoreas eremita dating back to the late Miocene have been discovered in the Ngorora formation (Kenya);[14] fossils from the same period have also been excavated in the eastern Mediterranean region.[15] Other Miocene fossils of boselaphines discovered are of Miotragocerus, Tragocerus and Tragoportax; fossils of Miotragoceros are not apparent in Africa (only M. cyrenaicus has been reported from the continent), but have significant presence in the Shiwalik Hills in India and Pakistan, as do several Tragoportax species. A 2005 study showed the migration of Miotragoceros to eastern Asia around eight million years ago.[16] Alan W. Gentry of the Natural History Museum reported the presence of another boselaphine, Mesembriportax, from Langebaanweg (South Africa).[17]
Evidence supporting association with human beings during the Mesolithic period (5,000 to 8,000 years ago) in southern India[18] and the Chalcolithic period (3,000 years ago) in eastern India[19] has been gathered. Though the extant nilgai females lack horns, historic relatives of the antelope had horned females.[15]
Description
Four-horned antelope – male and female | ||||
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The four-horned antelope is one of the smallest Asian bovids. The number of its horns distinguishes it from most of the other bovids, that have two horns[20] (sparing a few such as the Jacob sheep).[21][22] The four-horned antelope stands nearly 55–64 centimetres (22–25 in) at the shoulder; the head-and-body length is between 80 and 110 centimetres (31 and 43 in). Both sexes weigh nearly 17–22 kilograms (37–49 lb).[23] Sexual dimorphism is not so notable, though only males possess horns.[24] Horns start growing by 10 to 14 months.[2]
Slender with thin legs and a short tail, the four-horned antelope has a yellowish brown to reddish coat. The underparts and the insides of the legs are white. Facial features include black markings on the muzzle and behind the ears. A black stripe marks the outer surface of each leg. Females have four teats far back on the abdomen.[2] The hair feels coarse, more like that of a deer than the glossy hair typical of antelopes.[25] This is the only antelope to have well-developed interdigital glands between the false hooves (the lateral digits that appear to but do not touch the ground in reality as the central digits do).[24] The fetlocks are marked with white patches.[25]
One pair of horns is located between the ears, and the other on the forehead. The former pair (posterior horns) is always longer than the latter (anterior horns), which may even be mere fur-covered studs. While either of the former pair measures 8–12 centimetres (3.1–4.7 in), the other two measure 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in).[25][24][26] According to Groves, anterior horns show the poorest development in the subspecies T. q. subquadricornis. These horns measure nearly 4.5–5 centimetres (1.8–2.0 in) in T. q. quadricornis, and nearly 1.5–2.5 centimetres (0.59–0.98 in) in T. q. iodes. The posterior horn lengths for the subspecies recorded by him were: 8–10 centimetres (3.1–3.9 in) for T. q. quadricornis, 6.5–7.5 centimetres (2.6–3.0 in) in T. q. iodes and 1.8–2 centimetres (0.71–0.79 in) in T. q. subquadricornis.[8]
The four-horned antelope differs from the nilgai due to the smaller size and greater number of horns of the former. The nilgai is nearly nine times heavier and two times taller than the four-horned antelope. Two deer species, the Indian muntjac and the hog deer, may be confused with this antelope. The four-horned antelope, however, lacks their antlers and the upper canines.[2] The chinkara, a gazelle, can be told apart by its light brown coat and larger, ringed horns.
Ecology and behaviour
The four-horned antelope is diurnal (active mainly during the day), though it mainly rests or ruminates in the shade during the noon. Dense undergrowth is typically chosen as a place for resting.[27] Though solitary by nature, the four-horned antelope may form loose groups of three to five, unlike other antelopes that are generally gregarious. Groups consist of one or more adults, sometimes accompanied by juveniles. Opposite sexes hardly interact, except in the mating season.[28]
The antelope is shy and elusive. When alarmed, it turns motionless and may nervously leap away from the danger or even sprint. They often conceal themselves in tall grasses to escape predators.[25] A low whistle is given out by males in hot weather, and a sharp call by mothers to guide her young.[24] The use of alarm calls to alert others is not common, as they try to avoid the attention of the predator. These calls may, in fact, be used to warn predators in extreme cases. Adults have been observed as marking vegetation in their territories with a colourless secretion of preorbital glands, that soon condenses to form a white film. Dung piles are formed and regularly used for defecation.[27] Submissive display consists of shrinking the body, lowering the head and pulling the ears back.[27] Predators of four-horned antelopes include tigers,[29] leopards, and dholes.[30]
Diet
The four-horned antelope feeds on grasses, herbs, shrubs, foliage, flowers and fruits. A study in the Mudumalai National Park (Tamil Nadu, India) showed that the animals prefer the grass species of the family Cyperaceae; genera Axonopus, Cynodon, Digitaria, Echinochola, Panicum, Sehima and Sporobolus; and the species Imperata cylindrica, Ottoebola nodosa, Pseudanthistria umbellata and Themeda cymbaria. The shrub Grewia hirsuta was frequently eaten. Preferred herbs included Helichrysm, Indigofera and Tinospira species and Leucas aspera. Leaves of the trees Cordia wallachi, Embilica offcianalis, Randia dumetorum and Zizyphus xylopyrus were preferred. Grasses comprised nearly 29 percent of the diet, followed by foliage from trees (nearly nine percent). Grass and browse were consumed in equal proportion. [28] A study in the Panna National Park (Madhya Pradesh, India) showed preference for Zizyphus mauritiana, Acacia nilotica, A. leucophloea and A. catechu. Babool flowers were frequently eaten. The antelope often associated with langurs under trees, as the chital frequently does. Interaction with chital, a sympatric species, was infrequent.[27] The animals are cautious while feeding, often raising their head and looking about their vicinity.[27] The four-horned antelope needs to drink water frequently; as such they stay near water sources.[24][25]
Reproduction
Mating behaviour of the four-horned antelope has not been extensively observed. The age at which sexual maturity is gained is doubted; two captive females had their first parturition at less than two years.[2] The breeding season in the Panna National Park probably lasts from May to July,[27] and from June to August in the Mudumalai National Park.[28] The male approaches the female in a relaxed gait, giving out low coughs. The two may kneel and push against each other with the necks intertwined. A few short mounting attempts are made; the female may be foraging all the while without any reaction.[27] Gestation lasts about eight months, and results in the birth of one or two young. At birth, the young have a head-and-body length of 42 to 46 cm (17 to 18 in) long, and weigh 0.7 to 1.1 kg (1.5 to 2.4 lb). They are kept concealed for the first few weeks of their birth. After a gestational period of nearly eight to nine months, one (sometimes even two) calf is born. Births in the Mudumalai National Park peaked from February to April. The young remain with the mother for about a year.[2]
Habitat and distribution
The four-horned antelope tend to remain in areas with significant vegetation cover from grasses or heavy undergrowth, and close to a supply of water. They generally stay away from human-inhabited areas.[31] Though they are habitat generalists, prefer open, dry, deciduous forests in hilly terrain.[32][33]
Earlier common throughout deciduous forests in India, the four-horned antelope are found in low numbers nowadays. Their numbers were estimated at slightly above 10,000 in 2001. The populations are feared to be decreasing.[32] In Mudupalli National Park, areas with short grasses and sparsely distributed trees are preferred,[28] yet the populations are low and scattered.[31] Presently the four-horned antelope is confined to the Indian subcontinent, occurring in widely distributed, small populations. The range in India covers a vast expanse, from the foothills of the Himalayas in the north to the Deccan Plateau in the south. Most of the existing populations occur in India, and lower numbers can be found in adjoining Nepal.
Threats and conservation
The four-horned antelope is threatened by the loss of its natural habitat due to agricultural expansion. In addition, the unusual four-horned skull and the horns has been a popular target for trophy hunters. Their numbers were estimated at slightly above 10,000 in 2001.[1] In India, the species is protected under Schedule I the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972[34] and the Nepalese population is listed in Appendix III of CITES.[1] The four-horned antelope is categorised as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).[1]
Major protected areas across India where four-horned antelope occur include: Gir National Park (Gujarat); Bandhavgarh National Park, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanha National Park, Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Panna Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, Sanjay National Park, Satpura National Park (Madhya Pradesh); Tadoba Andhari Reserve (Maharashtra); Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan).[35]
References
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- ^ "Schedule I - Wildlife Protection Act" (PDF). moef.nic.in. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
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External links
Media related to Tetracerus quadricornis at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Tetracerus quadricornis at Wikispecies