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Location: |
World |
Subject: |
Taxonomy - Nomenclature |
Species: |
Black Rhino |
Reasons to prefer africanus over bicornis. The species name bicornis for the African black rhino can be refuted. Linn? gave 'India' as type locality. Thomas' argument that the Cape of good Hope was the place from where early specimens were brought to Europe and that therefore Rhinoceros bicornis refers to the rhino from the Cape does not hold water. The next oldest name is Rhinoceros africanus of Desmarest. Because it is geographically correct, we find this name more applicable to the group of forms of the black rhino.
Rhinoceros africanus africanus is therefore the name to be used for all black rhinos except those in the north and north-east, which are somaliensis.
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