Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Antidorcas Marsupialis
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Species
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Antilopinae
Antidorcas
A. marsupialis
Introduction
Springboks are animals from the genus Antilopinae. They are fast and are the most plentiful
antelope, having the reputation of being one of the world’s largest herds of mammals ever
recorded.
Environment/ Habitat
Springboks live in the inland southern areas of the continent Africa. They live in a wide range
of areas including grasslands, shrublands, deserts, dry riverbeds. These environments are all
encompassed in places including the Free State, Karoo, Namibia, Kalahari desert, Windhoek,
Namib, and Botswana.
Kalahari Desert
Springbok distribution: Free
State, Karoo, Namibia, Kalahari,
Windhoek, Namib, Botswana.
Springboks live in grasslands,
shrublands, deserts, dry riverbeds.
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Structural Adaptation
Springboks are slender, long-necked antelopes, with strong, powerful legs that allow them
to pronk, run and leap in dry inland areas of South and South-western Africa, which are
inhabited by predators including leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and lions, all powerful and fast
animals. At top speed, springboks can potentially travel at 100km/h, and have the muscle
power to leap 4m into the air.
Behavioural Adaptation
Springboks are widely known for their pronking, which in Afrikaans means ‘showing off’.
Pronking consists of a repetition of leaps that go up to 2 metres high, with legs at a stiff
posture. This behavioural phenomenon is suspected to occur at times to warn off predators,
who understand their stalking has been noticed or that the predator should hunt for a
presumably weaker member of the group. Another theory is that pronking is used to attract
mates, who are attracted to the smell of sweat pervading through the air due to the lifting of
the springboks flap while pronking.
Physiological Adaptation
Springboks are warm blooded animals, having a constant body temperature, never rising or
falling more than 1.2 degrees Celsius.
How these Adaptations Have Enabled the Animal to Survive
The structural and behavioural adaptations the springboks have are quite self-explanatory,
in the sense that springboks can reach up to extreme speeds when running away from a
predator, or their eccentric behaviour to prevent a predator from attacking. The
physiological adaptation of having warm blood and a constant body temperature when living
in such hot and dry weathers in Africa helps the springbok survive without too much water,
which can be lost if the body temperature goes with the outside temperature, resulting in
water lost in sweat.
Image
Behavioural: flap that secretes
sweaty smell
Physiological: warm blooded
Structural: powerful hind legs
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Gazella Saudiya
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Species
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Antilopinae
Gazella
G. saudiya
Environmental/ habitat
The Saudi gazelle was known to inhabit the Arabian peninsula. However, lands including
sandy plains and gravel, across the Arabian peninsula, Yemen, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia
were also once inhabited by the Saudi gazelle. Like modern gazelles and antelopes, they feed
on grass, shrubs, flowers, leaves, pods, and fruits.
Sandy plains, a natural habitat of the
Saudi gazelle
Saudi gazelle inhabits
the Arabian peninsula,
Yemen, Kuwait
Saudi gazelles live on
sandy plains and gravel,
feeding on grass,
flowers, leaves
Structural Adaptation
The Saudi gazelle is very much like the Dorcas gazelle we see today, apart from having
lighter skin and shorter pairs of legs. The light colour of the Saudi gazelle was an apparent
feature of this extinct animal.
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Behavioural Adaptation
The Saudi gazelle has a behavioural instinct to run zig-zag when chased by predators, which
confuses natural predators such as leopards and cheetahs.
Physiological Adaptation
Saudi gazelles are well adapted to harsh hot weathers, there is a possibility they can avoid
water consumption throughout their entire life. The water and moisture they get from
plants are enough to keep them alive and healthy.
How these Adaptations Have Enabled the Animal to Survive
The structural adaptation of having light skin colour allowed the Saudi gazelle to be less
easily noticeable by predators in the desert, minimizing the chance of falling into prey. The zig
zag escaping the gazelle uses to run away from fast land animals like leopards and cheetahs
is something they have exploited, due to their significantly lighter bodies compared to their
predators. As there is little water in dry areas, the adaptation to live without water has allowed
the Saudi gazelle to once thrive in the environment.
Selection Pressure
The Saudi gazelle survived their environment as they were well adapted, catalogued, and
blended into the environment. As they are not predators, the colour of their skin disables
them to be easily recognized in the wild, therefore prolonging their lifespan. Their
behavioural and physiological adaptations also enabled them to live throughout the
centuries. However, due to human disruption in nature, more specifically, hunting, the
gazelle was declared extinct in 2008. This discontinued nature’s natural selection of the
Saudi gazelles.
Image
Behavioural: zig-zag
running to escape
predators
Structural: light skin
colour
Structural: body can live off
plant water for an entire life
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Antidorcas Namabia
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Species
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Antilopinae
Antidorcas
A. namabia
Environmental/ Habitat
The Antidorcas Namabia, also known as Nama’s, are a future evolved species of the current
Springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis. Due to earth’s every decreasing natural environment due
to deforestation and overall environmental destruction, the springboks have been left to
their own devices, forced to feed on increasing amounts of rodents, instead of the natural
herbivore diet. They will live in the same places as current springboks, however the area will
be much smaller (due to human’s disruptive practices).
Shrubland in Karoo
Springbok distribution: Free
State, Karoo, Namibia, Kalahari,
Windhoek, Namib, Botswana.
Springboks live in grasslands,
shrublands, deserts, dry riverbeds.
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Structural Adaptation
Through natural selection, only springboks with sharper teeth could tear off the meat from
small animals, resulting in the extinction of the weaker, all-out herbivore diet springboks.
Behavioural Adaptation
When approached by a threat, the Nama’s can stand on their hind legs, exposing the large
area which the chest can cover, just like a grizzly bear.
Physiological Adaptation
As plants are ever decreasing in the not too distant future, the springboks will slowly
develop a camel-like hump. This will help store fat in their humps, which decreases the need
for water intake from plants.
How These Adaptations Have Enabled the Animal to Survive
The structural adaptation of having sharp teeth will allow the Nama’s to survive future’s
harsh conditions of decreasing amounts of greenery. The enlarging of their body’s shape to
mislead predators into thinking they are strong will definitely ward off a fraction of the
predators, reducing the chance of getting preyed on. Like camels, who are well adapted to
not eating and drinking for long periods of time, the springboks will evolve into a similar
state, increasing the chance of survival and longevity.
Selection Pressure
The structural, behavioural, and physiological adaptations as explained in the “How These
Adaptations Have Enabled the Animal to Survive” section are all obvious adaptations that
have been selected by nature to suit the environment the Nama’s live in. As time goes by, if
the environment does not change to drastically and quickly, the Nama’s may still continue to
live and possibly evolve, unless like the Saudi gazelle, is hunted towards extinction.
Image
Physiological: a hump
on the back
Structural: sharp teeth
Behavioural: standing
on hind legs to appear
larger
Bryan Tang 10E
Science Evolution Assignment: Springbok
Bibliography
Antidorcas Marsupialis
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Antidorcas Marsupialis, no publishing date available,
date retrieved 25th August 2014, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/1676/0
Mammal Species of the World Third Edition, Antidorcas Marsupialis, no publishing date
available, date retrieved 25th August 2014, from
http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=14200530
Tree of Life Web Project, Antilopinae, no publishing date available, date retrieved 25th
August 2014, from http://tolweb.org/Antilopinae
Gazella Saudiya
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Gazella Saudiya, no publishing date available, date
retrieved 25th August 2014, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/8980/0
Petermaas, Gazella Saudiya, last updated 20th December 2008, date retrieved 25th August
2014, from http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/speciesinfo/saudigazelle.htm
Tree of Life Web Project, Antilopinae, no publishing date available, date retrieved 25th
August 2014, from http://tolweb.org/Antilopinae
Antidorcas Namabia
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Antidorcas Marsupialis, no publishing date available,
date retrieved 25th August 2014, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/1676/0
Mammal Species of the World Third Edition, Antidorcas Marsupialis, no publishing date
available, date retrieved 25th August 2014, from
http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=14200530
Tree of Life Web Project, Antilopinae, no publishing date available, date retrieved 25th
August 2014, from http://tolweb.org/Antilopinae