Loxodonta africana

(Blumenbach, 1797)

African Savanna Elephant

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Atlantogenata
Superorder : Afrotheria
Order : Proboscidea
Family : Elephantidae
Genus : Loxodonta

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Blumenbach, J.F. 1797. Handbuch der Naturgeschichte. Fünfte Auflage. Johann Christian Dieterich, Göttingen, 714 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44308438

Original name as described

Elephas africanus

Other common names

African Bush Elephant

Type locality

Orange River, South Africa.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Senegal · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Sierra Leone · Mali · Liberia · Cote d'Ivoire · Ghana · Burkina Faso · Togo · Benin · Nigeria · Niger · Chad · Cameroon · Central African Republic · South Sudan · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Uganda · Kenya · Somalia · Rwanda · Tanzania · Zambia · Angola · Malawi · Mozambique · Zimbabwe · Botswana · Namibia · South Africa · Eswatini

Taxonomy notes

previously include L. cyclotis, although some authorities still treat the two species as one

Taxonomy notes citation

Rohland, N., Reich, D., Mallick, S., Meyer, M., Green, R. E., Georgiadis, N. J., ... & Hofreiter, M. (2010). Genomic DNA sequences from mastodon and woolly mammoth reveal deep speciation of forest and savanna elephants. PLoS Biol, 8(12), e1000564.

IUCN Red List status

Endangered

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000522

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Elephas africanus rothschildi

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

rothschildi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH MO-3283 (+ USNM:MAMM:A22247)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/37d8c1d37-bd20-4c10-95a2-5424bb2c9a5d http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-mo-3283

Authority page

399

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209396

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:8, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741228) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus cavendishi

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

cavendishi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1905.11.25.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/5ca3abde-33e9-4c6e-bb14-7e1a1538bf1e https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/8d418eab-cd3e-4d27-a482-4b3cced374b4

Authority page

395

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209390

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:7, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741227) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus toxotis

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

toxotis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ISAM (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

388

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209383

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:4, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741224) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus orleansi

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

orleansi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN type 501

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

398

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209393

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:8, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741228) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus selousi

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

selousi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

389

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209384

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:4, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741224) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus peeli

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

peeli

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

394

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209389

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:5, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741225) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus capensis

(Lydekker, 1908)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

4

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741224

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:4, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741224) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Elephas africanus knochenhaueri

(Lydekker, 1908)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

knochenhaueri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

5

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741225

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:5, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741225) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Elephas africanus oxyotis

(Lydekker, 1908)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

oxyotis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

8

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741228

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:8, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741228) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Loxodonta africana

Roosevelt & E. Heller, 1914

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

africana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

715

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9360722

Authority publication

New York

Name usages

  1. Roosevelt & Heller (1914:715, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9360722) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/44022)
  2. Schwarz (1920:866, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763837) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  3. Corbet & Hill (1980:114) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  4. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:307, 308) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  5. Afolayan & Amubode (1985:260) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67254)
  6. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)
  7. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:77) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  8. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:77) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #12392) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  10. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #12392) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  11. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000522) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  12. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/181008073/223031019) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Loxodonta africana capensis

Roosevelt & E. Heller, 1914

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

715

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9360722

Authority publication

New York

Name usages

Roosevelt & Heller (1914:715, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9360722) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/44022)

Loxodonta africana rothschildi

E. Schwarz, 1920

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

rothschildi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

866

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763837

Authority publication

Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der zweiten Deutschen Zentral-Afrika-Expedition, 1910-1911, unter Führung Adolf Friedrichs

Name usages

Schwarz (1920:866, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763837) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)

Elephas africanus

(Blumenbach, 1797)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

africana

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

125

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44308438

Authority publication

Göttingen

Name usages

  1. Thunberg (1811:320, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11767814) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64194)
  2. Fischer (1814:xiii, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130074) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  3. Lesson (1827:322, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207789) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  4. Jardine (1836:124, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18064376) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39772)
  5. Cuvier (1842:4, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44518527) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60227)
  6. Smith (1842:270) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)
  7. Lesson (1842:156) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  8. Matschie (1895:88, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14835481) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67260)
  9. Lydekker (1908:1, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741221) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  10. Allen (1909:166) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16003)
  11. Ward (1910:481, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15016124) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)

Elephas capensis

(G. Cuvier, 1797)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

149

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637231

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Cuvier (1797:149, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637231) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38531)
  2. Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas priscus

(Goldfuss, 1823)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

prisca

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

489

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37012971

Authority publication

Nova Acta Physico-Medica Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae Naturae Curiosorum

Elephas (Loxodonta) knochenhaueri

(Matschie, 1900)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

knochenhaueri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

197

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8797203

Authority publication

Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas (Loxodonta) oxyotis

(Matschie, 1900)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

oxyotis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

196

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8797202

Authority publication

Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus typicus

(Lydekker, 1907)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

typica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

384

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31209379

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Elephas africanus moçambicus

(Frade, 1924)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

mocambica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority publication

Bulletin de la Société Portugaise des Sciences Naturelles

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta africana zukowskyi

Strand, 1924

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

zukowskyi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

68

Authority publication

Archiv für Naturgeschichte

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta africana angolensis

Frade, 1928

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

angolensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

15

Authority publication

Titulos e Trabalhos Cientificos

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta africana var. obliqua

Dart, 1929

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

obliqua

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

698-731

Authority publication

South African Journal of Science

Loxodonta prima

Dart, 1929

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

prima

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

725

Authority publication

South African Journal of Science

Elephas africanus berbericus

(Seurat, 1930)

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

berbericus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta pharaohensis

Deraniyagala, 1948

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

pharaohensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

1-42

Authority publication

Spolia Zeylanica

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta pharaohensis hannibali

Deraniyagala, 1953

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

hannibali

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

16

Authority publication

Spolia Zeylanica

Name usages

Shoshani (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9716)

Loxodonta atlantica angammensis

Coppens, 1965

Family

Elephantidae

Root name

angammensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

331-387

Authority publication

conference

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