Bovidae
Author
Don E. Wilson
Author
Russell A. Mittermeier
text
2011
2011-08-31
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals
444
779
book chapter
58516
10.5281/zenodo.6512484
67b52095-db4b-43f8-a661-4aced0511111
978-84-96553-77-4
6512484
279.
Nigerian Klipspringer
Oreotragus porteousi
French:
Oréotrague de Porteous
/
German:
Nigeria-Klippspringer
/
Spanish:
Saltarrocas
de
Nigeria
Taxonomy.
Oreotragus saltator porteusi [sic] Lydekker, 1911
,
Duchi n’Wai Range, Zaria district, northern
Nigeria
.
Formerly considered a synonym of
O. saltatrixoides
. Monotypic.
Distribution.
The Jos
Plateau
, in C
Nigeria
; a population of klipspringers in the
Central African Republic
may or may not belong to this species.
Descriptive notes.
No specific measurements available. From male specimens, this species seems small in size, with small teeth, but the degree of sexual dimorphism is unknown because no female skulls are available. Male skull length is 13.1-13.
9 cm
. It has particularly long horns, 8:9-10.
9 cm
. In color, this species is, unexpectedly, very like the Masai Klipspringer (
O. schillingsi
) from East Africa. It varies from dull yellowish to darker, more golden; the dorsal stripe is broad and gray, but it may be reduced to speckling down the midline of the back; the crown and upper muzzle are golden, the ears gray, the upper part of the forelegs are paler, the lower part gray; thigh and legs are grayish.
Habitat.
The Nigerian Klipspringer uses rocky areas,like all klipspringers.
Food and Feeding.
A concentrate selector,like all klipspringers.
Breeding.
There is no specific information available for this species. Other klipspringers run the gamut from seasonal to non-seasonal breeders.
Activity patterns.
There is no specific information available for this species, but probably crepuscular with most activity in early morning and late afternoon.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
There is no specific information available for this species. Other klipspringers are strongly territorial, with boundaries marked by dung piles and secretions from preorbital glands.
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List (as
O. oreotragus
porteousi). The Nigerian Klipspringer is endangered because the total population size in
Nigeria
and including the
Central African Republic
is estimated at fewer than 2500 mature individuals and declining.
Bibliography.
Groves & Grubb (2011), Kingdon (1982), Roosevelt & Heller (1914).