The body pattern of striping here is quite Damara like -rather broken up and wavy, whereas 'Chapman's' have thicker and regular stripes. Its the heavily striped legs which are less typical I think.
Yes, I'd agree. The shadow stripes occur much further forward than a Chapman's as well. The front half of a Chapman's looks a lot more Grant's-like, with no shadow stripes until the rump.
I think the typical Chapman's with the well pronounced pattern of clearcut bands and shadow-stripes is the most eye-catching of all the Plains zebras 'varieties'/races.
I think the typical Chapman's with the well pronounced pattern of clearcut bands and shadow-stripes is the most eye-catching of all the Plains zebras 'varieties'/races.
The first is published by the IUCN in 2002 and states that there are only 4 extant subspecies of Equus quagga (burchelli, crawshayi, zambeziensis, and boehmi). The 2nd paper from 2004 seems to indicate that only burchelli and boehmi are truely valid (at least from what I can read into it). These papers are both by the same author, Colin Groves, who is famous for his splitter mentality, so it is odd seeing a case of lumping from him.
Edit: On rereading some of the details on the 2nd paper, it does seem like the author is in favor of 6 subspecies (with one extinct), but the body of the paper seems to cast some doubt on this view, especially in light of the 1st paper.
I agree that, with the stripes on legs, the animal depicted does not look like a typical Damara zebra. However, at least one of the plains zebra at Colchester, that are also labelled Damara, has heavily striped legs.
I always think that classic Damara zebra are like those that used to be at Bristol: no leg stripes and the stripes on the rump breaking up into blotches.
. However, at least one of the plains zebra at Colchester, that are also labelled Damara, has heavily striped legs.
I always think that classic Damara zebra are like those that used to be at Bristol: no leg stripes and the stripes on the rump breaking up into blotches.
Me too- Bristol's had the typical markings. But some of the Quagga Project zebras which are obviously Damara-type have also produced foals with heavily striped legs (like this one) too. Yet the Groves articles above suggest that striping right down to the hooves is not typical for Damara-type zebras.
If you look the zebra in this photo, the body stripes are thin/brownish but the stripes down the legs to the hooves are black. On reflection I suspect its still a pure Damara but one of the 'throwback' types which are perhaps less usual than the normal white-legged ones.
