Asinus is a subgenus of Equus that encompasses several subspecies of the Equidae commonly known as wild asses, characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, lack of a true withers, a coarse mane and tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.

Asinus
Turkmenian kulan (Equus hemionus kulan)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
Subgenus: Asinus
Gray, 1824
Type species
Equus hemionus
Species

Equus africanus
Equus asinus
Equus hemionus
Equus kiang
Equus hydruntinus

Range of the three living wild ass species

The common donkey is the best-known domesticated representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and feral varieties. Among the wild ass species, several never-domesticated species live in Asia and Africa, with the extinct European wild ass species formerly inhabiting Europe.

Taxonomy

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Cladogram based on whole nuclear genomes after Özkan et al. 2024.[4]

Asinus (asses)

Equus africanus + Equus asinus African wild ass + domestic donkeys

Equus hydruntinus (European wild ass/hydruntine)

Equus hemionus hemippus (Syrian wild ass)

Equus hemionus onager (Persian onager)

Equus hemionus hemionus (Mongolian wild ass) + Equus (hemionus) kiang (kiang)

References

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  1. ^ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder, ed. (2005). "Equus asinus". Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
  2. ^ International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (2003). "Usage of 17 specific names based on wild species which are pre-dated by or contemporary with those based on domestic animals (Lepidoptera, Osteichthyes, Mammalia): conserved. Opinion 2027 (Case 3010)" (Summary). Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 60 (1): 81–kksiss84.
  3. ^ "Factsheet: Kulan | Common names: Turkmen Kulan, Turkmenian Wild Ass (Horses and Asses (Perissodactyla Equidae) > Equus hemionus > Equus hemionus kulan)". Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  4. ^ Özkan, Mustafa; Gürün, Kanat; Yüncü, Eren; Vural, Kıvılcım Başak; Atağ, Gözde; Akbaba, Ali; Fidan, Fatma Rabia; Sağlıcan, Ekin; Altınışık, Ezgi N.; Koptekin, Dilek; Pawłowska, Kamilla; Hodder, Ian; Adcock, Sarah E.; Arbuckle, Benjamin S.; Steadman, Sharon R. (July 2024). "The first complete genome of the extinct European wild ass ( Equus hemionus hydruntinus )". Molecular Ecology. 33 (14). doi:10.1111/mec.17440. ISSN 0962-1083.
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