''Neotragus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of dwarf

antelope The term antelope refers to numerous extant or recently extinct species of the ruminant artiodactyl family Bovidae that are indigenous to most of Africa, India, the Middle East, Central Asia, and a small area of Eastern Europe. Antelopes do ...

, native to Africa. The genus includes only a single species without any dispute, namely '' Neotragus pygmaeus''. This species, the royal antelope, is the smallest antelope in the world, usually weighing around 5 to 7 pounds. They live in conditions that are warm and moist and are found in the tropical forests of Western Africa. The royal antelope's diet consists of high-nutrient food sources, such as leaves, flowers, plants, fruits, and the growing tips of shoots. Recent nucleic acid studies now suggest that the other two species formerly included in the genus are not closely related, and should be assigned to the genus '' Nesotragus''. Members of the ''Nesotragus'' genus are the only surviving members of the subfamily Nesotraginae or tribe Nesotragini and are more closely related to the

impala The impala or rooibok (''Aepyceros melampus'', lit. 'black-footed high-horn' in Ancient Greek) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus '' Aepyceros'', and tribe Aepycerotini, it ...

, while the royal antelope is still considered a member of the subfamily

Antilopinae Antilopinae is a subfamily of even-toed ungulates in the family Bovidae. The members of tribe Antilopini are often referred to as true antelopes, and include the gazelles, blackbucks, springboks, gerenuks, dibatags, and Central Asian gazelles. ...

or tribe Antilopini.

References

Dwarf antelopes Mammal genera Taxa named by Charles Hamilton Smith {{eventoedungulate-stub