Asinus is a subgenus of Equus that encompasses several subspecies of the Equidae commonly known as wild asses or wild donkeys, characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, lack of a true withers, a coarse mane and tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.

The common donkey is the best-known domesticated representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and feral varieties. Among the wild ass species, several never-domesticated species live in Asia and Africa, with the extinct European wild ass species formerly inhabiting Europe.

Taxonomy

Genus: Equus

Subgenus: Asinus

African wild ass, Equus africanus

• Nubian wild ass, Equus africanus africanus

• Somali wild ass, Equus africanus somaliensis

• Atlas wild ass, †Equus africanus atlanticus (extinct 1st millennium AD)

• Donkey, Equus africanus asinus

Onager or Asiatic wild ass, Equus hemionus

• Mongolian wild ass or khulan, Equus hemionus hemionus

• Indian wild ass or khur, Equus hemionus khur

• Turkmenian kulan, Equus hemionus kulan

• Persian onager or gur, Equus hemionus onager

• Syrian wild ass or achdari, †Equus hemionus hemippus (extinct 1927)

Kiang or Tibetan wild ass, Equus kiang

• Western kiang, Equus kiang kiang

• Eastern kiang, Equus kiang holdereri

• Southern kiang, Equus kiang polyodon

• Northern kiang, Equus kiang chu

  Hydruntine or European wild ass, †Equus hydruntinus (extinct 1st millennium BC)

Cladogram based on whole nuclear genomes after Özkan et al. 2024.

References

External links