卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区水源地野放普氏野马的活动节律：基于红外相机监测数据

2014年4月至11月,在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区的22个水源地安放66台红外相机,其中在8个野放普式野马(Equus przewalskii)利用的水源地放置了16台红外相机,对野放普氏野马在水源地的活动节律和时间分配进行了研究。16台相机累计工作1 068 d,获得野放普氏野马有效照片2 051张。研究发现,野放普氏野马在水源地不同时段的有效照片数量符合正态分布,且季节间存在极显著差异。野放普氏野马在水源地不同时段的有效照片数量,春季远低于夏季和秋季(P0.05),而夏季与秋季差异不显著(P0.05)。野放普氏野马饮水频次春季极显著低于夏季和秋季(P0.01),夏季与秋季差异不显著(P0.05)。普氏野马在水源地具有稳定的日活动节律,时间分配上呈典型的钟形,13:00~17:00时达到高峰,20:00~次日5:00时快速下降,3:00~6:00时是一天中的低谷,在5:00~13:00时快速上升。不同月份野放普氏野马的日活动差异指数α(t=8.364,df=7,P0.01)和昼行性指数β(t=19.519,df=7,P0.01)均存在极显著差异,且β值为0.660.54,表明野放普氏野马活动以昼间为主。季节间活动差异指数存在极显著差异(单样本K-S检验,t=7.851,df=23,P0.01)。独立多样本Kruskal-Wallis检验季节性活动强度指数γ值差异不显著(χ~2=0.162,df=2,P0.05)。通过在卡山保护区固定水源地的实时监测,初步明晰了野放普氏野马在水源地附近的活动节律及其季节性水源地利用,从而为野放普氏野马的生态学研究及保护措施的制定提供科学依据。     

地形因素对羚牛家域估算的影响分析——以固定核域法与最小凸边形法为例

家域特征对物种基础生物学的认识和提出相关管理及保护对策有重要作用.本研究利用地理信息系统相关软件,以4只(2♀、2 ♂)佩戴GPS无线电颈圈的四川羚牛定位数据使用固定核域法(FKE)和最小凸多边形法(MEP)对春季(2007年和2008年)家域特征进行了估算,显示地形因素对家域估算结果影响显著,表面家域(FKE 95％ =7.50 ±2.27,MCP =7.01±1.99)要显著大于平面家域(FKE 95％=5.94±1.54,t=3.31,df=3,P=0.045,MCP=5.47±1.52,df=3,t=3.43,P=0.041).其次,固定核域法(95％)与最小凸多边形法所获得的平面家域(t =0.718,df=3,P=0.524)和表面家域(t=0.612,df=3,P=0.584)差异不显著.个体间家域差异显著(df=3,F=7.226,P=0.001),组间两两比较显示,M1与F1 (P =0.001)、F2(p=0.031)、M2(P=0.02),F1与F2 (P =0.044)间的家域均有显著差异,而M2与F2 (P =0.221)、M2与F1(P=0.598)间差异不显著.两种家域估算方法对计算羚牛的家域重叠程度没有明显优劣之分(95％ Kernel VS 100％ MCP),但不同密度的核域可能得出不同的甚至是完全相反的结论,因此在选择核域密度时应尽量同时参照其他数据和其他估算方法.     

海南文昌昌洒荒坡地生境中蜡皮蜥繁殖期家域

为掌握蜡皮蜥(Leiolepis reevesii)繁殖期家域大小、家域内是否存在核域,以及家域与核域的重叠程度,分别于2010年和2011年的3月至5月在海南文昌荒坡地生境中,应用无线电遥测技术对蜡皮蜥家域进行了研究,采用最小凸多边形、固定核域、线家域等方法分析了13只个体(10雄3雌)的家域、核域及其重叠度。雄性最小凸多边形(100%MCP)家域面积为(14 091.6±5 718.0)m2,显著大于雌性的(253.3±106.5)m2(t=4.064,df=11,P=0.002);雄性95%固定核域(FK)和75%FK面积为(10 707.8±2 388.5)m2和(3 282.7±1 022.8)m2,分别显著大于雌性的(379.1±74.1)m2(t=7.262,df=11,P0.001)和(172.1±37.9)m2(t=5.107,df=11,P0.001);雄性线家域为(205.8±52.5)m,显著大于雌性的(25.0±2.0)m(t=5.781,df=11,P=0.034);分析遥测个体位点利用方式,蜡皮蜥个体家域内核域明显,雄性核域为(1 380.5±429.1)m2,显著大于雌性的(80.2±18.5)m2(t=5.088,df=11,P0.001),且雄性核域占100%最小凸多边形家域面积的比例为10.9%±3.9%,显著低于雌性的33.3%±6.1%(t=﹣7.834,df=11,P0.001);雄性100%MCP面积不仅与头体长(SVL)之间线性相关显著(n=10,r=0.815,P=0.004),而且与体重(BM)之间也具有明显的线性相关(n=10,r=0.683,P=0.029);个体之间具有家域和核域重叠,雄性个体之间100%MCP家域重叠指数为0.26±0.17,显著低于雌性的0.66±0.02(t=﹣3.372,df=34,P=0.002),而雄性核域重叠面积占核域比例为2.50%±1.70%、重叠指数为0.02±0.02,雌性比例为0.34%±0.01%、重叠指数为0.01,表明蜡皮蜥具有明显的领域性,且雌性在繁殖季节其领域性明显高于雄性。     

小兴安岭南坡野猪家域分析

采用笼式活捕野猪,利用无线电遥测技术、R2V、Arcview 和SPSS 软件技术,于2004 年7 月15 日至2006年1 月19 日,对小兴安岭南坡野猪家域进行测定、计算和分析,以了解该地区野猪的家域变化规律。研究结果表明:季节变化影响野猪家域面积,在春、秋季,野猪的家域面积显著大于冬季,而春、夏季间无显著差异;不同性别及年龄野猪家域大小也不同,成体雄性秋季发情期和亚成体春季分窝期家域面积显著增加;在冬、春季家族群野猪的家域面积显著大于独体野猪家域面积,说明家族群对家域面积有影响;亚成体家域大小主要受家族群家域的影响,家族群野猪面积大,相应地家族野猪中亚成体家域面积也大。     

四川羚牛的家域与忠诚度

野生动物倾向回到或留在一个特定范围或者与原有区域完全重叠的行为被称为栖息地忠诚。利用GPS无线电颈圈对5只四川羚牛的家域及家域的季节和年度忠诚度进行了研究和分析(2006—2009年)。结果显示:四川羚牛年均家域面积为(MCP/FKE)(15.01±2.92)km2/(9.02±1.85)km2,但个体间及年际波动较大;季节间家域面积差异显著,个体家域的季节变化体现出较一致的变化模式,最大季节家域主要集中于春季和夏季。年际间季节家域忠诚度最高的是秋季和夏季,冬季家域年际忠诚度最低,春季家域忠诚度也相对较低。单因素方差分析显示季节间质心距离总体差异不显著,与家域重叠算法获得的忠诚度结论基本一致。     

千岛湖岛屿社鼠的扩散特征

2009年7月—11月,2010年3月—11月对千岛湖两个岛屿上的社鼠(Niviventer confucianus)种群进行标志重捕,通过分析扩散个体的性别、年龄及扩散距离等,探讨陆桥岛屿环境下社鼠的扩散特征。研究结果显示:岛屿环境下社鼠的扩散率为37.96%,不同季节社鼠的扩散率存在差异,社鼠倾向于在春季发生扩散,尤其是3月份,社鼠扩散个体数最多;对于整个捕获史而言,雌雄扩散个体数存在极显著的差异(x~2=12.542,df=1,P0.001),雄性个体更倾向于发生扩散;而在繁殖高峰期,当怀孕鼠存在时,雄性扩散数亦大于雌性,两者存在显著差异(x~2=4.504,df=1,P=0.034)。扩散个体体重的季节差异不显著;扩散与社鼠的年龄密切相关,社鼠更加倾向于在亚成年阶段发生扩散;另外,家群大小对社鼠扩散个体数量也有显著影响,家群越大,扩散个体越多;对扩散距离进行分析发现存在显著的性别差异(t=-9.229,df=50,P0.001),雌性个体的平均扩散距离为(282.97±16.14)m,显著大于雄性的(146.70±6.80)m,而扩散距离与年龄、体重、最大活动距离均无显著相关性。     

人为干扰下宁夏贺兰山岩羊反应的群体差异

野生动物对人类的非资源利用性的干扰具有不同的反应,这些反应的差异依赖于物种自身和外界生境中不同的因子.2009年7-8月和2009年12月-2010年1月在宁夏回族自治区贺兰山苏峪口国家森林公园,选定95.87 km2 的调查区域内设四条样线,总长度为18.3 km,通过观察岩羊的瞬时反应距离,比较了不同干扰源、群体大小和群类型下,岩羊无反应行为、警戒反应行为和逃跑反应行为距离的差异.结果表明:(1) 相对于车辆,岩羊对行人的干扰更加敏感(U=8.69,P<0.001); (2) 当群体大小分为≤3的小群和＞3大群时,小群岩羊的警戒反应行为距离显著大于大群(Z=2.165,P=0.03),当群体大小分为≤5的小群和＞5的大群时,小群岩羊的逃跑反应行为距离显著大于大群(Z=2.003,P=0.045); (3) 雌幼群、雄性群和混合群这3种不同的群类型之间的无反应行为距离无显著差异,雄性群的警戒行为距离显著大于雌性群和混合群的警戒行为距离(Z=2.746,P=0.006; Z=3.589,P<0.001),雌性群的逃跑反应行为距离显著大于混合群的逃跑反应距离(Z=2.376,P=0.017); (4) 混合群内的雌性和雄性的3种反应行为无显著差异.     

四川羚牛繁殖期集群类型及海拔分布

为了探究繁殖期四川羚牛Budorcas taxicolor tibetana的集群特征,于2012年7月在四川唐家河国家级自然保护区开展了羚牛集群类型与海拔分布的研究。在唐家河的8条监测样线(总长度约68.2 km)上记录到39群469头次,其中完整辨别群结构的有36群448头次。群体可定义为独牛、家群、混合群、社群和公牛群,研究期间大部分集群(83.33%)的个体数≤20。除独牛和公牛群外,群体平均大小为(14.70±2.63)头,各类型集群大小差异显著(F2,27=8.463,P=0.001)。独牛、家群、混合群和社群的记录海拔之间存在显著的差异(F3,31=11.8488,P<0.001),除公牛群外羚牛集群的平均海拔为(2015.37±89.74)m。羚牛集群记录的海拔与集群大小之间存在显著的线性相关(y=29.76x+1465,R2=0.802,P<0.001)。研究认为,繁殖期集群类型的变化与繁殖活动密切相关,聚集群和独牛是繁殖期雄性成体不同繁殖策略的体现。     

野化放归丹顶鹤活动节律、家域特征和栖息地选择

了解野放丹顶鹤的运动模式、家域和栖息地选择的时间节律特征对丹顶鹤种群保护和栖息地管理尤为重要。基于GPS-GSM跟踪数据,综合运用3S技术、动态布朗桥模型、栖息地选择指数,研究了盐城海滨湿地野放丹顶鹤在不同生活周期的活动节律、家域的面积和重叠指数,以及栖息地选择。结果表明：(1)丹顶鹤日活动节律具有明显的周期性特征。丹顶鹤活动强度：育成期>越冬期>孵化期>育雏期,孵化期和育雏期日间活动强度平稳,育成期和越冬期呈“双峰”模式。(2)丹顶鹤95%家域面积均值介于(111.18±22.15)hm²—(621.28±105.77)hm²,育成期((621.28±105.77) hm²)>育雏期((226.83±54.86) hm²)>孵化期((112.40±7.72) hm²)>越冬期((111.18±22.15) hm²);核心家域面积均值介于(0.53±0.26)—(45.78±6.66) hm²,育成...     

放归普氏野马核心区黑腹胃蝇疫源分布特点

黑腹胃蝇是新疆荒漠草原优势种马胃蝇,对放归至当地普氏野马构成了严重威胁。该蝇将卵产在牧草上并以此感染采食者——马科动物,其幼虫于宿主消化道营寄生生活,至三龄老熟幼虫随宿主粪便进入环境化蛹,成为当年新的疫源。于黑腹胃蝇幼虫两个发生峰期(4—5月和8月)对普氏野马核心区新鲜粪便和黑腹胃蝇幼虫点位进行了调查,采用最小凸多边形法(MCP)和固定核域法(FKE)计算粪便分布范围,并通过核密度分析(KDE)辨识幼虫聚集区域和特征。结果表明：(1)在黑腹胃蝇种群第一、第二峰期,野马采食草场拥有最多的胃蝇幼虫采集占比(57.25%、41.94%),其次是驴道、山坡、水源地区域;(2)最小凸多边形法(95%利用率)和固定核域法(95%利用率、0.006带宽值)均能较好估算野马粪便分布范围,第一峰期普氏野马粪便范围(60—70 km²)稍大于第二峰期(50—60 km²)。在所调查的八个水源地,两个发生高峰期均包含红柳、5号、6号3个水源地,并形成了以水源地为重要支撑点、依托毗邻草场交叉传播的连续、非均匀疫源地分布特点;(3)水源地附近草场具有更高的黑腹胃蝇幼虫...     

The effects of prey,habitat heterogeneity and fire on the spatial ecology of peninsular Diamond Pythons (Morelia spilota spilota: Pythonidae)

Understanding an organism's home range is an important component of effective wildlife management. However, home ranges can vary spatially and temporally within and between populations. Landscape ecology theory can provide a framework for understanding spatio‐temporal variability in animal traits. We used radio‐telemetry in a population of diamond python Morelia spilota spilota Lacépède (Pythonidae) from a biologically rich and structurally heterogeneous reserve in eastern Australia to explore the relationship between home range size, optimal foraging theory and vegetation mosaic theory. Twelve adult snakes were tracked between September 2004 and February 2008. Male home ranges were significantly larger (P < 0.05) and more variable (41 ± 30 ha) than female home ranges (23 ± 5 ha), and males moved further between observations (123 m c.f. 65 m). Core activity centres varied significantly among habitat (P < 0.05) with larger home ranges observed in heathland, a vegetation community which supported comparatively low mammal diversity. No other variables examined including number of fixes, body length, prey abundance, vegetation heterogeneity or fire history explained home range variability. In this system, relatively high mammalian prey diversity and rapid post‐fire vegetation succession may limit prey availability and fire effects as being significant determinants of home range variability in M. spilota.     

Space use and site fidelity of wintering whooping cranes on the Texas Gulf Coast

The Aransas-Wood Buffalo population (the only non-reintroduced, migratory population) of endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) overwinters along the Texas Gulf Coast, USA. Understanding whooping crane space use on the wintering grounds reveals essential aspects of this species' ecology, which subsequently assists with conservation. Using global positioning system telemetry data from marked whooping cranes during 2009–2017, we fit continuous-time stochastic process models to describe movement and home range using autocorrelated kernel density estimation (AKDE) and explored variation in home range size in relation to age, sex, reproductive status, and drought conditions. We used the Bhattacharyya coefficient of overlap and distance between home range centroids to quantify site fidelity. We examined the effects of time between winter home ranges and the sex of the crane on site fidelity using Bayesian mixed-effects beta regression. Winter whooping crane 95% AKDE home range size averaged 30.1 ± 45.2 (SD) km² (median = 14.3, range = 1.1–308.6). Home ranges of sub-adult females were approximately 2 times larger than those of sub-adult males or families. As drought worsened, home ranges typically expanded. Between consecutive years, the home ranges of an adult crane exhibited 68 ± 31% overlap (site fidelity), but fidelity to winter sites declined in subsequent winters. The overlap of adult home ranges with the nearest unrelated family averaged 33 ± 28%. As a whooping crane aged, overlap with its winter home range as a juvenile declined, regardless of sex. By 4 years of age, a whooping crane had approximately 14 ± 28% overlap with its juvenile winter home range. Limited evidence suggested male whooping cranes return to within 2 km of their juvenile home range by their fifth winter. Previous data obtained from aerial surveys led ecologists to assume that whooping crane families normally used small areas (~2 km²) and expressed persistent site fidelity. Our analyses showed <8% of families had home ranges ≤2 km², with the average area 15 times greater, and waning site fidelity over time. Our work represents an analysis of whooping crane home ranges for this population, identifying past misconceptions of winter space use and resulting in better estimates of space requirements for future conservation efforts.     

Genetic diversity of Syrian Arabian horses

Although Arabian horses have been bred in strains for centuries and pedigrees have been recorded in studbooks, to date, little is known about the genetic diversity within and between these strains. In this study, we tested if the three main strains of Syrian Arabian horses descend from three founders as suggested by the studbook. We examined 48 horses representing Saglawi (n = 18), Kahlawi (n = 16) and Hamdani (n = 14) strains using the Equine SNP70K BeadChip. For comparison, an additional 24 Arabian horses from the USA and three Przewalski's horses as an out group were added. Observed heterozygosis (H_o) ranged between 0.30 and 0.32, expected heterozygosity (H_e) between 0.30 and 0.31 and inbreeding coefficients (F_is) between ?0.02 and ?0.05, indicating high genetic diversity within Syrian strains. Likewise, the genetic differentiation between the three Syrian strains was very low (F_st < 0.05). Hierarchical clustering showed a clear distinction between Arabian and Przewalski's horses. Among Arabian horses, we found three clusters containing either horses from the USA or horses from Syria or horses from Syria and the USA together. Individuals from the same Syrian Arabian horse strain were spread across different sub‐clusters. When analyzing Syrian Arabian horses alone, the best population differentiation was found with three distinct clusters. In contrast to expectations from the studbook, these clusters did not coincide with strain affiliation. Although this finding supports the hypothesis of three founders, the genetic information is not consistent with the currently used strain designation system. The information can be used to reconsider the current breeding practice. Beyond that, Syrian Arabian horses are an important reservoir for genetic diversity.     

Home range, movement, and site fidelity of translocated northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in southwest Georgia, USA

During 1997 and 1998, we compared home range, movement, and site fidelity characteristics of translocated wild northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) to resident birds using radiotelemetry. We captured wild bobwhites (n=74) in southwest Georgia, USA just before the breeding season and relocated them (>1.6 km from capture sites) to sites nearby where previous density estimates revealed that populations were low compared to surrounding areas. Translocated birds were equipped with radiotransmitters and released in groups of 8 to 12. Resident birds (n=166) were also captured and simultaneously monitored via radiotelemetry. We found no difference in home range size (F ₁=0.08, P=0.78), mean daily movements (F ₁=0.04, P=0.84), or distance moved from trap or release sites to arithmetic centers of home ranges (F ₁=1.58, P=0.21) between translocated and resident bobwhites. These results suggest that translocating wild bobwhites over relatively short distances into suitable habitat does not negatively influence bobwhite movement and renders site fidelity as reasonable. Therefore, translocation of wild bobwhites before breeding season can result in enhanced numbers of adult breeders in a target location and potentially augments fall populations via reproductive yield.     

Home ranges in red fox: territoriality diminishes with increasing area

Red foxVulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) are generally regarded as strictly territorial animals, inhabiting distinct and well-separated ranges. The home ranges of these predators can vary in size from a few dozen hectares to as much as 20–30 km². Because it seemed impossible that foxes could defend areas so different in size with the same intensity, the published data were analysed in order to see how changes in home range size could affect the following parameters: home range overlap, the area visited daily and the distance travelled by animals during 24 h. It was found that the overlap between fox families (groups) occupying large ranges was much greater than between foxes living in small ranges. The ratio of the area visited daily to the seasonal home range size was greater in small ranges than in large ones. No significant correlation was found between the mean distance moved daily and home range size (r = −0.118,p = 0.75). These results suggest different patterns of the use of space and differences in territorial defence by red foxes inhabiting large and small ranges. The implications of home range overlap and intensity of contacts between foxes occupying neighbouring ranges for the spread of disease are discussed. The significant overlap between large ranges found in this paper is discussed in the light of Andrzejewski’s (2002) home range concept.

     

Space use and territoriality of wolverines (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gulo gulo</Emphasis>) in northern Scandinavia

Space use and territoriality influence population structure and dynamics and is therefore an important aspect in understanding the ecology of animals. We investigated spatial and temporal space use of wolverines (Gulo gulo) in northern Scandinavia. We estimated home ranges of 24 radio-marked individuals (17 females and seven males). Male home ranges (mean 669 km²; SE = 211) were significantly larger than female home ranges (mean 170 km²; Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney; P = 0.001) and encompassed or included parts of up to five different females. Home range sizes of reproducing (170 km²; SE = 51) and barren (171 km²; SE = 63) adult females did not differ. Wolverines in Scandinavia exhibit intrasexual territoriality, with male home ranges totally exclusive and female home ranges either exclusive or with little home range overlap. Overlap between wolverine territories is most likely explained by intrasexual tolerance and kinship.     

Semi-captive Przewalski's gazelles cope with winter adversity by adjusting their gut bacterial communities

The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients in animals. To address the challenge of conservation, many endangered wildlife are kept in captive or semi-captive conditions. Numerous studies have been conducted on the intestinal microbiota of captive animals, but little information is available on the intestinal microbiota of semi-captive animals, such as Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), which is an endangered ungulate species only distributed around Qinghai Lake in China. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing methods to analyze the gut bacterial community of semi-captive Przewalski's gazelles during summer and winter. There were differences in the gut bacterial community composition between the 2 seasons, with higher bacterial diversity in winter. Deterministic processes dominated the bacterial community assembly in both seasons. There was a greater influence of heterogeneous selection in winter compared to summer, suggesting that there was more intestinal environmental filtering and selection on shaping the gut bacterial community during winter. There were more potential probiotic bacteria and fewer potential pathogens in winter compared to summer. Overall, stronger heterogeneous selection in winter might enhance gut selection for potential probiotic bacteria and filter out potential pathogens in Przewalski's gazelles, allowing them to adapt to the harsh living conditions in winter. Our study clarified that seasonal fluctuations trigger shifts in bacterial communities, which have potential benefits for Przewalski's gazelles. These results could provide valuable information for managing semi-captive populations and for future wild releases of Przewalski's gazelles.     

Interactions between density,home range behaviors,and contact rates in the Channel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis)

Many of the mechanisms underlying density‐dependent regulation of populations, including contest competition and disease spread, depend on contact among neighboring animals. Understanding how variation in population density influences the frequency of contact among neighboring animals is therefore an important aspect to understanding the mechanisms underlying, and ecological consequences of, density‐dependent regulation. However, contact rates are difficult to measure in the field and may be influenced by density through multiple pathways. This study explored how local density affects contact rates among Channel Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) through two pathways: changes in home range size and changes in home range overlap. We tracked 40 radio‐collared foxes at four sites on San Clemente Island, California. Fox densities at the four sites ranged from 2.8 ± 1.28 to 42.8 ± 9.43 foxes/km². Higher fox densities were correlated with smaller home ranges (R² = 0.526, F_1,38 = 42.19, P < 0.001). Thirty foxes wore collars that also contained proximity loggers, which recorded the time and duration of occasions when collared foxes were within 5 m of one another. Contact rates between neighboring fox dyads were positively correlated with home range overlap (R² = 0.341, P = 0.008), but not fox density (R² = 0.012, P = 0.976). Individuals at high densities had more collared neighbors with overlapping home ranges (R² = 0.123, P = 0.026) but not an increase in the amount of contact between individual neighbors. This study was the first time contact rates were directly measured and compared to density and home range overlap. Results suggest that foxes exhibit a threshold in their degree of tolerance for neighbors, overlap is a reliable index of the amount of direct contact between island foxes, and disease transmission rates will likely scale with fox density.     

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the Perissodactyla

The evolution of perissodactyls (rhinoceroses, tapirs, and horses) has been well studied primarily because of their extensive fossil record. Nevertheless, controversy persists regarding relationships of some of the extant taxa, reflecting inconsistencies between molecular and morphological studies. Here we examine the phylogenetic relationships of 16 living perissodactyl species by concatenating two mitochondrial and nine nuclear genes, and we estimate their divergence times using a relaxed Bayesian molecular clock approach. Our analyses recovered the monophyly of the suborders Ceratomorpha and Hippomorpha, and the families Rhinoceratidae, Tapiridae, and Equidae. We supported the early divergence of the Indian rhinoceros in the late Oligocene (26 Mya) relative to the Sumatran and African rhinoceroses, and the split of caballine (domestic horse and Przewalski's wild horse) and noncaballine equids (zebras and African and Asiatic asses) in the Pliocene (4 Mya). An important implication of this study is that Equus asinus, the African wild ass was found to be the sister taxon of Asiatic asses and zebras, diverging from the common ancestor with caballine horses 2 Mya. Rates of chromosome rearrangements were also evaluated in perissodactyls, placing a notably high rate of variation amongst equids, particularly within the zebra clade. The robust phylogenetic results presented here are relevant in terms of understanding the evolutionary history of this highly threatened group of mammals. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 1289–1303.