Bovidae and Antilocapridae

Bovidae is a large family of hoofed ruminant mammals with remarkable physical diversity and geographic distribution. For the purposes of this chapter, the following subfamilies or tribes are emphasized: Aepycerotinae (impala), Alcelaphinae (bontebok, wildebeest, and relatives), Antilopinae (antelopes and relatives), Bovinae (buffalo and cattle-like), Caprinae (sheep and goat-like), Cephalophinae (duikers), Hippotraginae (roan, sable, oryx species, and addax), Reduncinae (kob, waterbuck, and relatives), and Tragelaphini (spiral-horned antelope). The Antilocapridae family consists of a single species, the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). The skull structure, dentition, digestive tract, and appendicular skeleton similarities between Bovidae and Antilocapridae, allow for many generalizations between species. General anesthesia is required to image most Bovidae and Antilocapridae species. Several Bovidae species are documented to have implantation occur almost exclusively in the right uterine horn despite having a bicornuate uterus and alternating ovulation between the right and left ovaries.