Mouflon

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Mouflon Conservation status: Endangered
A Mouflon in Hungary
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Caprinae Genus: Ovis Species: O. musimon, O. ammon or O. orientalis
Binomial name
Ovis musimon, Ovis ammon musimon, Ovis orientalis Pallas, 1762

European Mouflon

The Mouflon is a species of wild sheep and as such is one of the Caprinae or "goat antelopes". It is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds^[1]. It is red-brown with a dark back-stripe, light colored saddle patch and underparts. The males are horned and the females are horned or polled.

They originated in Southwest Asia, where the species known as Asiatic mouflon (Ovis orientalis) lives. They were introduced to the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Rhodes and Cyprus during the neolithic period, perhaps as feral domesticated animals, where they naturalized to the mountainous interiors of these islands over the past few thousand years, giving rise to the species known as European mouflon (O. musimon or O. ammon). They are now rare on the islands, but have been successfully introduced into central Europe, including Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, even in some northern European countries, such as Finland.

The scientific classification of the Mouflon is disputed ^[2] but the European Mouflon may be considered as either Ovis musimon or Ovis ammon musimon.

Other names: Agrino (Greek), Muflon (Czech), Muflone (Italian), Corsican Mouflon, European Mouflon, Musimon, Musmon, Sardinian Mouflon.

[edit] References

1. ^ Hiendleder S, Kaupe B, Wassmuth R, Janke A. (May 7 2002). Molecular analysis of wild and domestic sheep questions current nomenclature and provides evidence for domestication from two different subspecies.. Proceedings. Biological sciences, The Royal Society of London.. Retrieved on August 2, 2006.
2. ^ Tonda, J. (2002). "Ovis ammon". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved on November 19, 2005.

Mouflon Ram