The following table, which compares the different hypotheses for giraffe species, has been copied from Giraffe#Species and subspecies, with some columns, above all the Description column, reduced so as to fit on a page.
Abbreviations: G: Giraffa or giraffe, c: camelopardalis, N: Northern, S: Southern, SA: South African, WA: West African. ♂︎ml: median lump in males – ♂︎ml+ well developed, ♂︎ml- absent ♂︎ml(-) usually less developed or ♂︎ml(+) usually present. Abbreviations only in headlines: simple numbers: different taxonomies such as 1 = One species taxonomy, wild: number in the wild, zoo: number in zoos. In the Latin name, an asterisk for the epitheton indicates that it can be either “camelopardalis” or “giraffa” or left out, depending on the taxonomy used.
Background coloring of the taxonomy columns has been taken from the color of the distribution map, as far as possible.
1 | 3 [1] | 4 [2] [3] | 8 [4] | 9 | wild | zoo | Image | Description | Fur |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G. (G. c.) [5] [6] |
N. g. (G. c.) |
Kordofan g. (G. c. antiquorum) [7] |
2000 [5] |
65 [t 1] | Smaller and more irregular spots than Nubian g. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 51–52 [t 2] | ||||
Nubian g. (G. c. c.) [t 3] |
2,150 [5] |
14 [t 4] | Sharply defined chestnut-coloured spots surrounded by mostly white lines, none on underside. [13] ♂︎ml+. [10]: 51 | ||||||
Rothschild's g. (G. c. rothschildi) |
1,500 [5] [t 5] |
450 | Large dark patches with complete margins, sharp edges, paler radiating lines or streaks within them; rarely below the hocks. Some have 5 "horns". [10]: 53 | ||||||
WA g. (G. c. peralta) [14] [t 6] |
400 [5] |
? | Lighter fur, [15]: 322 with red lobe-shaped blotches that reach below the hocks. The ossicones more erect. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 52–53 Most endangered. [t 7] | ||||||
Reticulated g. (G. c. reticulata) [16] [t 8] |
8,660 [5] |
450 [9] | Sharp-edged, reddish-brown polygonal patches divided by a network of thin white lines. Spots may or may not extend below the hocks. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 53 | ||||||
S. g. (G. *) |
Angolan g. (G. * angolensis) [17] [t 9] [t 10] |
13,000 [5] |
20 [9] | Large brown blotches with notched edges or angular extensions. Pattern on legs but not the upper part of the face. Neck and rump patches small. White ear patch. [10]: 51 | |||||
SA g. (G. * g.) [19] [t 11] |
31,500 max. [5] |
45 [9] | Dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections" on a tawny background colour. Spots on legs (smaller). ♂︎ml(-). [10]: 52 | ||||||
Masai g. (G. * tippelskirchi) [17] [t 12] |
32,550 max. [5] |
100 [9] | Varying from nearly round and smooth edged to oval shaped and incised or loped edged. [20] ♂︎ml(+). [10]: 54 [21] | ||||||
Thornicroft's g. (G. * thornicrofti) [17] [t 13] |
550 max. [5] |
0 [9] | Patches are notched and somewhat star-shaped, and may or may not extend across the legs. ♂︎ml(-). [10]: 54 |
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cite journal}}
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The following table, which compares the different hypotheses for giraffe species, has been copied from Giraffe#Species and subspecies, with some columns, above all the Description column, reduced so as to fit on a page.
Abbreviations: G: Giraffa or giraffe, c: camelopardalis, N: Northern, S: Southern, SA: South African, WA: West African. ♂︎ml: median lump in males – ♂︎ml+ well developed, ♂︎ml- absent ♂︎ml(-) usually less developed or ♂︎ml(+) usually present. Abbreviations only in headlines: simple numbers: different taxonomies such as 1 = One species taxonomy, wild: number in the wild, zoo: number in zoos. In the Latin name, an asterisk for the epitheton indicates that it can be either “camelopardalis” or “giraffa” or left out, depending on the taxonomy used.
Background coloring of the taxonomy columns has been taken from the color of the distribution map, as far as possible.
1 | 3 [1] | 4 [2] [3] | 8 [4] | 9 | wild | zoo | Image | Description | Fur |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G. (G. c.) [5] [6] |
N. g. (G. c.) |
Kordofan g. (G. c. antiquorum) [7] |
2000 [5] |
65 [t 1] | Smaller and more irregular spots than Nubian g. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 51–52 [t 2] | ||||
Nubian g. (G. c. c.) [t 3] |
2,150 [5] |
14 [t 4] | Sharply defined chestnut-coloured spots surrounded by mostly white lines, none on underside. [13] ♂︎ml+. [10]: 51 | ||||||
Rothschild's g. (G. c. rothschildi) |
1,500 [5] [t 5] |
450 | Large dark patches with complete margins, sharp edges, paler radiating lines or streaks within them; rarely below the hocks. Some have 5 "horns". [10]: 53 | ||||||
WA g. (G. c. peralta) [14] [t 6] |
400 [5] |
? | Lighter fur, [15]: 322 with red lobe-shaped blotches that reach below the hocks. The ossicones more erect. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 52–53 Most endangered. [t 7] | ||||||
Reticulated g. (G. c. reticulata) [16] [t 8] |
8,660 [5] |
450 [9] | Sharp-edged, reddish-brown polygonal patches divided by a network of thin white lines. Spots may or may not extend below the hocks. ♂︎ml+. [10]: 53 | ||||||
S. g. (G. *) |
Angolan g. (G. * angolensis) [17] [t 9] [t 10] |
13,000 [5] |
20 [9] | Large brown blotches with notched edges or angular extensions. Pattern on legs but not the upper part of the face. Neck and rump patches small. White ear patch. [10]: 51 | |||||
SA g. (G. * g.) [19] [t 11] |
31,500 max. [5] |
45 [9] | Dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections" on a tawny background colour. Spots on legs (smaller). ♂︎ml(-). [10]: 52 | ||||||
Masai g. (G. * tippelskirchi) [17] [t 12] |
32,550 max. [5] |
100 [9] | Varying from nearly round and smooth edged to oval shaped and incised or loped edged. [20] ♂︎ml(+). [10]: 54 [21] | ||||||
Thornicroft's g. (G. * thornicrofti) [17] [t 13] |
550 max. [5] |
0 [9] | Patches are notched and somewhat star-shaped, and may or may not extend across the legs. ♂︎ml(-). [10]: 54 |
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