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Duiker

A '''duiker''' () is any of about 19 small to medium-sized antelope species from the subfamily '''Cephalophinae''' native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Duikers are shy and elusive creatures with a fondness for dense cover; most are forest dwellers and even the species living in more open areas are quick to disappear into thickets. Their name comes from the Afrikaans word for ''diver'' and refers to their practice of diving into tangles of shrubbery. With a slightly arched body and the front legs a little shorter than the hind legs, they are well-shaped to penetrate thickets. They are primarily herbivory|browsers rather than grazing|grazers, eating leaves, shoots, seeds, fruit, buds and bark, and often follow flocks of birds or troops of monkeys to take advantage of the fruit they drop. They supplement their diet with meat: duikers take insects and carrion from time to time, and even stalk and capture rodents or small birds. The Blue Duiker has a fondness for ants.

Species

    - '''Subfamily Cephalophinae'''
    - * '''Genus Cephalophus'''
    - ** Abbott's Duiker, ''Cephalophus spadix''
    - ** Ader's Duiker, ''Cephalophus adersi''
    - ** Bay Duiker, ''Cephalophus dorsalis''
    - ** Black Duiker, ''Cephalophus niger''
    - ** Black-fronted Duiker, ''Cephalophus nigrifrons''
    - ** Brooke's Duiker, ''Cephalophus brookei''
    - ** Harvey's Duiker, ''Cephalophus harveyi''
    - ** Jentink's Duiker, ''Cephalophus jentinki''
    - ** Ogilby's Duiker, ''Cephalophus ogilbyi''
    - ** Peters's Duiker, ''Cephalophus callipygus''
    - ** Red-flanked Duiker, ''Cephalophus rufilatus''
    - ** Red Forest Duiker, ''Cephalophus natalensis''
    - ** Ruwenzori Duiker, ''Cephalophus rubidis''
    - ** Weyns's Duiker, ''Cephalophus weynsi''
    - ** White-bellied Duiker, ''Cephalophus leucogaster''
    - ** Yellow-backed Duiker, ''Cephalophus sylvicultor''
    - ** Zebra Duiker, ''Cephalophus zebra''
    - * '''Genus Philantomba'''
    - ** Blue Duiker, ''Philantomba monticola''
    - ** Maxwell's Duiker, ''Philantomba maxwellii''
    - * '''Genus Sylvicapra'''
    - ** Common Duiker, ''Sylvicapra grimmia''

References

- The African Wildlife Foundation Category:Duikers| Category:Bovidae Category:Mammals of Africa Category:Fauna of East Africa Category:Mammals of Kenya Category:Fauna of Tanzania

Related Images

- Common Duiker.
- Yellow-backed Duiker.

Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL

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