''Asinus'' is a subgenus of ''

Equus Equus may refer to: * ''Equus'' (genus), a genus of animals including horses, donkeys and zebras * ''Equus'' (play), a play by Peter Shaffer * ''Equus'' (film), a film adaptation of the Peter Shaffer play * Equus (comics), a comic book characte ...

'' (single-toed (hooved) grazing animal) that encompasses several subspecies of the

Equidae Equidae (sometimes known as the horse family) is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, asses, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. All extant species are in the genus ''Equus'' ...

commonly known as wild asses, characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, lack of a true

withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle ...

, a coarse mane and tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance. The common donkey is the best-known domesticated representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and

feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...

varieties. Among the wild ass species, several never-domesticated species live in

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

Taxonomy

* Genus: ''Equus'' ** Subgenus: ''Asinus'' ***

African wild ass The African wild ass (''Equus africanus'') or African wild donkey is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey (''Equus asinus''), which is sometimes placed within the same spe ...

, ''Equus africanus'' **** Nubian wild ass, ''Equus africanus africanus'' **** Somali wild ass, ''Equus africanus somaliensis'' **** Atlas wild ass, †''Equus africanus atlanticus'' ( extinct) **** Donkey, ''Equus africanus asinus'' *** Onager or Asiatic wild ass, ''Equus hemionus'' **** Mongolian wild ass or khulan, ''Equus hemionus hemionus'' **** Indian wild ass or khur, ''Equus hemionus khur'' **** Turkmenian kulan, ''Equus hemionus kulan'' **** Persian onager or gur, ''Equus hemionus onager'' **** Syrian wild ass or achdari, †''Equus hemionus hemippus'' ( extinct) **** European wild ass or hydruntine, †''Equus hemionus hydruntinus'' (extinct) ***

Kiang The kiang (''Equus kiang'') is the largest of the '' Asinus'' subgenus. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to the plains of the Tibetan plateau; Ladakh; and no ...

or Tibetan wild ass, ''Equus kiang'' **** Western kiang, ''Equus kiang kiang'' **** Eastern kiang, ''Equus kiang holdereri'' **** Southern kiang, ''Equus kiang polyodon'' ****

Northern kiang The kiang (''Equus kiang'') is the largest of the ''Asinus'' subgenus. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to the plains of the Tibetan plateau; Ladakh; and north ...

, ''Equus kiang chu''

References

External links

* {{Authority control Equus (genus) Animal subgenera