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Asses
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: Equidae Genus: Equus Subgenus: Asinus
Species
Equus asinus Equus africanus Equus hemionus Equus kiang

The subgenus Asinus encompasses four species and several subspecies of equidae characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, a scant tail and reputed to have 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 breeds. 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 donkey and a horse.

Wild asses, include a number of truly wild, never domesicated subspecies of Equus Asinus that live in Africa and Asia. The closest relative to Equus africanus is the Grevy's zebra.^{citation needed} They have similiarties, including small herds, longer ears and the skull is more ass shape.^{citation needed}

Taxonomy

• Genus: Equus
  • Subgenus Asinus
    • Donkey, Equus asinus
    • African Wild Ass, Equus africanus
      • Nubian Wild Ass, Equus africanus africanus
      • Somali Wild Ass, Equus africanus somalicus
      • Atlas Wild Ass, Equus africanus atlanticus (extinct)
    • European Ass, Equus hydruntinus (extinct)
    • Onager or Asiatic Ass, Equus hemionus, Equus hemionus onager
      • Mongolian Wild Ass, Equus hemionus hemionus
      • Syrian Wild Ass, Equus hemionus hemippus (extinct)
      • Gobi Kulan or Dziggetai , Equus hemionus luteus
      • Turkmenian Kulan, Equus hemionus kulan
      • Indian Wild Ass or Khur, Equus hemionus khur
    • Kiang, Equus kiang
      • Western Kiang, Equus kiang kiang
      • Eastern Kiang, Equus kiang holdereri
      • Southern Kiang, Equus kiang polyodon
      • Northern Kiang, Equus kiang chu

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• This page was last modified on 13 October 2008, at 11:45.

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