Salt's dik-dik

Salt's dik-dik (Madoqua saltiana) is a small antelope found in semidesert, bushland, and thickets in the Horn of Africa, but marginally also in northern Kenya and eastern Sudan.[1] It is named after Henry Salt, who discovered it in Abyssinia in the early 19th century.[2][3]

Salt's dik-dik
Salt's dik-dik in the wild of Africa

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Madoqua
Species:
M. saltiana
Binomial name
Madoqua saltiana
Desmarest, 1816
The range of Salt's dik-dik

Description

Salt's dik-diks are 52–67 cm (20–26 in) long, 33–41 cm (13–16 in) high, and weigh 2.5–4.0 kg (5.5–8.8 lb).[4] As in other dik-diks, the small, pointed horns are only present in the male.[5] Their colour varies significantly depending on the subspecies.

Taxonomy

Together with the closely related silver dik-dik, this species forms the subgenus Madoqua in the genus Madoqua (other dik-diks are also in the genus Madoqua, but the subsgenus Rhynchotragus).[6][7] The taxonomy of this subgenus is complex and a matter of dispute. Today, the most widely used treatment is based on a review in 1978,[8][9] but a significantly different treatment was presented in a review in 1972.[6] Following the review in 1978, the silver dik-dik is treated as a separate monotypic species, and Salt's dik-dik has five subspecies:[4][9]

  • M. s. saltiana is found from northern Ethiopia to Eritrea and far eastern Sudan, and is relatively large with a reddish-grey back.
  • M. s. hararensis is found in the Hararghe region in eastern Ethiopia, and has a gingery back and dark red flanks.
  • M. s. lawrenci is found in eastern and southeastern Somalia, and has a silvery back and russet flanks.
  • M. s. phillipsi is found in northern Somalia, and its back is grey and flanks are orange.
  • M. s. swaynei is found in the Jubba Valley region of southern Ethiopia, southern Somalia, and far northern Kenya; its back is brown-grey.

In 2003, each of the above was proposed to represent an evolutionary species,[10] but at present, most maintain them as subspecies.[1][9] The review in 1972 differed significantly from the above. Under that treatment, three species are recognized in the subgenus Madoqua: Salt's sik-dik (M. saltiana with the subspecies saltiana and cordeauxi), Phillip's dik-dik (M. phillipsi with the subspecies phillipsi, gubanensis, hararensis, and lawrencei), and Swayne's dik-dik (M. swaynei with the subspecies swaynei, erlangeri, and piancentinii).[6] Of these taxa, M. s. cordeauxi, M. p. gubanensis, and M. p. erlangeri were considered entirely invalid in 1978.[8]

Behavior

Salt's dik-diks are shy animals. They are active at night and dusk to avoid the midday heat, and are considered crepuscular. Dominant dik-diks flare their crests. The animals are most often found in pairs and small groups, and Salt's dik-diks mainly eat leaves and shoots of acacia trees. Little is known of the species's reproductive behavior.

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References
  1. Heckel, J.-O.; Wilhelmi, F.; Kaariye, X.Y.; Rayaleh, H.A. & Amir, O.G. (2008). "Madoqua saltiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
  2. "Salt Dik-dik - Big Game Hunting Records - Safari Club International Online Record Book". www.scirecordbook.org. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  3. "Book Details". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  4. Kingdon, J. (1997). The Kingdon Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-408355-2
  5. Haltenorth, T., and H. Diller (1980). Mammals of Africa Including Madagascar. HarperCollins. ISBN 0 00 219778 2
  6. Ansell, W. F. H. (1972). Order Artiodactyla. Part 15. Pp. 1-84. in: Meester, J., and H. W. Setzer, eds (1972). The mammals of Africa: An identification manualSmithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
  7. Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  8. Yalden, D. (1978). A revision of the dik-diks of the subgenus Madoqua (Madoqua). Monitore Zoologico Italiano, n.s. suppl. 11: 245-264.
  9. Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  10. Cotterill, F. P. D. 2003. Species concepts and the real diversity of antelopes. in: Plowman, A., eds (2003). Proceedings of the Ecology and Conservation of Mini-antelope: An International Symposium on Duiker and Dwarf Antelope in Africa. Filander Verlag: Füürth. pp. 59-118.
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