Asinus
Encyclopedia
The subgenus Asinus encompasses four species
and several subspecies of Equidae
characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, a scant tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.
The common donkey
or "ass" is the best-known representative of the subgenus
, with both domesticated
and feral
varieties, ranging in size from the small burro
to the horse
-sized "Mammoth Jack" and other breed
s. There is not a formal cutoff between the terminology "donkey" and "ass," though smaller animals are usually called donkeys and larger animals are asses. Both can be used to create a mule
, which is a hybrid animal produced by a cross of a male donkey and a female horse.
Wild asses include a number of truly wild (never domesticated) species of Equus
(subgenus Asinus) that live in Asia
and Africa
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and several subspecies of Equidae
Equidae
Equidae is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, donkeys, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. All extant species are in the genus Equus...
characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, a scant tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.
The common donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
or "ass" is the best-known representative of the subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
, with both domesticated
Domestication
Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. In the Convention on Biological Diversity a domesticated species is defined as a 'species in which the evolutionary process has been...
and feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
varieties, ranging in size from the small burro
Burro
The burro is a small donkey used primarily as a pack animal. In addition, significant numbers of feral burros live in the Southwestern United States, where they are protected by law, and in Mexico...
to the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
-sized "Mammoth Jack" and other breed
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
s. There is not a formal cutoff between the terminology "donkey" and "ass," though smaller animals are usually called donkeys and larger animals are asses. Both can be used to create a mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
, which is a hybrid animal produced by a cross of a male donkey and a female horse.
Wild asses include a number of truly wild (never domesticated) species of Equus
Equus
Equus may refer to:* Equus , a genus of animals including horses, donkeys, zebras and onagers* Equus , a play by Peter Shaffer* Equus , a film adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play...
(subgenus Asinus) that live in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Taxonomy
- Genus: Equus
- Subgenus: Asinus
- African Wild AssAfrican Wild AssThe African Wild Ass is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey which is usually placed within the same species. They live in the deserts and other arid areas of northeastern Africa, in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia; it...
, Equus africanus- Nubian Wild AssNubian Wild AssThe Nubian Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African wild ass, and probably the ancestor of domestic donkeys, since both have a stripe across the shoulder. The ass was domesticated about 6,000 years ago, probably in Egypt or Mesopotamia.The Nubian wild ass is most likely extinct in the wild since...
, Equus africanus africanus - Somali Wild AssSomali Wild AssThe Somali Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African wild ass. It was found in the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea, the Afar Region of Ethiopia, and Somalia...
, Equus africanus somalicus - Atlas Wild AssAtlas Wild AssThe Atlas Wild Ass , also known as Algerian Wild Ass is an extinct animal. It was last shown in a villa mural in AD 300 in Bona, Algeria, and went extinct after Roman sport hunting.-Taxonomy:...
, †Equus africanus atlanticus (extinctExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
) - DonkeyDonkeyThe donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
, Equus africanus asinus
- Nubian Wild Ass
- European AssEuropean AssThe European Ass is an extinct equine from the middle and late Pleistocene of Eurasia. It appeared first in the fossil report 300,000 years before present and did not disappear until Holocene times...
, †Equus hydruntinus (extinctExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
) - OnagerOnagerThe Onager is a large member of the genus Equus of the family Equidae native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel and Tibet...
or Asiatic Ass, Equus onager, Equus hemionus onager - Mongolian Wild AssMongolian Wild AssThe Mongolian Wild Ass is a subspecies of the Onager. It may be synonymous with the Gobi Kulan, Chigetai or Dziggetai...
, Equus hemionus- Syrian Wild AssSyrian Wild AssThe Syrian Wild Ass is an extinct subspecies of Equus hemionus that ranged across Syria, Jordan and Iraq.The Syrian Wild Ass was the smallest form of Equidae and could not be domesticated...
, †Equus hemionus hemippus (extinctExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
)
- Syrian Wild Ass
- KulanKulanKhulan was an empress of Genghis Khan and head of the second Court of Genghis Khan. Her status in the Mongol Empire was second only to Grand Empress Borte.-Biography:...
, Equus kulan- Gobi Kulan or Dziggetai , Equus kulan luteus
- Turkmenian Kulan, Equus kulan kulan
- Indian Wild AssIndian Wild AssThe Indian wild ass also called khur, is a subspecies of the Onager native to Southern Asia.-Description:The Indian wild ass, as with most other Asian wild ass subspecies, is quite different from the African species. The coat is usually sandy, but varies from reddish grey, fawn, to pale chestnut...
or Khur, Equus hemionus khur - KiangKiangThe kiang is the largest of the wild asses. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, plains of the Tibetan plateau and northern Nepal along the Tibetan border...
, Equus kiang- Western KiangWestern KiangWestern Kiang, Equus kiang kiang, is a subspecies of the kiang. It is the first subspecies to be described....
, Equus kiang kiang - Eastern KiangEastern KiangEastern Kiang, Equus kiang holdereri, is a subspecies of kiang.The Eastern Kiang is the largest subspecies of the kiang....
, Equus kiang holdereri - Southern KiangSouthern KiangSouthern Kiang, Equus kiang polyodon, is the smallest subspecies of kiang....
, Equus kiang polyodon - Northern KiangNorthern KiangNorthern Kiang, Equus kiang chu, is a subspecies of the kiang. The Northern Kiang has a distinct "mating call". The Northern Kiang usually has a black stripe around the back of its head, which also separates it from the other subspecies of the kiang. Unlike the Southern Western and Eastern kiangs,...
, Equus kiang chu
- Western Kiang
- †Equus cumminsii Cummin’s Ass
- †Equus calobatus Stilt-legged Onager
- †Equus tau Pygmy Onager
- †Equus lambei Yukon Wild Ass
- African Wild Ass
- Subgenus: Asinus