Ceratotherium simum

(Burchell, 1817)

White Rhinoceros

Oblique view. Also as Square-lipped Rhinoceros, Southern White Rhinoceros.
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Location:South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game ReserveDate taken:Jan 1, 1975Description : Oblique view. Also as Square-lipped Rhinoceros, Southern White Rhinoceros.

Distribution :

Southern Africa in SE Angola, Botswana, NE Namibia, S Mozambique, South Africa (north of Orange-Vaal Rivers and in KwaZulu-Natal), Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and possibly also SW Zambia. Now much restricted in distribution; in south of range, extinct except in E KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), but reintroduced into other parts of South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Prov., Mpumalanga, Free State), Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Botswana; introduced into Zambia and Kenya. In north of range, now confined to NE Dem. Rep. Congo.

Image courtesy of the ASM Mammal Images Library · MIL ID: 153

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Perissodactyla
Suborder : Ceratomorpha
Superfamily : Rhinocerotoidea
Family : Rhinocerotidae
Subfamily : Rhinocerotinae
Tribe : Dicerotini
Genus : Ceratotherium

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Burchell, W.J. 1817. Note sur une nouvelle espèce de Rhinocéros. Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1814-1824) 1817:96-97.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4439578

Original name as described

Rhinoceros simus

Other common names

Square-lipped Rhinoceros · Northern White Rhinoceros · Southern While Rhinoceros

Type material

OUM 8221

Type kind

lectotype

Type locality

South Africa.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Uganda · Kenya · Zambia · Democratic Republic of the Congo? · South Sudan? · Namibia · Botswana · Zimbabwe · Mozambique · South Africa · Eswatini

Taxonomy notes

taxon cottoni is sometimes considered a distinct species (following Groves & Grubb 2011 taxonomy) but is retained under this species here; for additional information regarding the MDD's decision to not follow the Groves & Grubb 2011 Ungulate Taxonomy, see 'Subjective decisions' on the 'About' tab

Taxonomy notes citation

Harley, E.H., de Waal, M., Murray, S. and O'Ryan, C. 2016. Comparison of whole mitochondrial genome sequences of northern and southern white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum): the conservation consequences of species definitions. Conservation Genetics 17(6):1285-1291. doi:10.1007/s10592-016-0861-2

IUCN Red List status

Near Threatened

Species Permalink

https://mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006111

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Known distribution is shown in green and predicted distribution is in yellow. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

KnownPredicted distribution

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details.

Total: 20 names and synonyms.

Rhinoceros simus

(Burchell, 1817)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

simum

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

OUM 8221

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

97

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4439578

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1814-1824)

Name usages

  1. Voigt (1819:422, https://books.google.com/books?id=HJhQ5QmNDEkC&pg=PA422) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69477)
  2. Schinz (1821:357, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51529118) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37604)
  3. Fischer (1829:416) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59856)
  4. Smuts (1832:62, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43088699) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60235)
  5. Jardine (1836:186, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18064456) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39772)
  6. Smith (1839:pl. 19, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51577773) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67643)
  7. Blyth (1840:132, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49918346) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67419)
  8. Smith (1842:271) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)
  9. Gistel (1848:270, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25781155) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69572)
  10. Peters (1852:180) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61421)
  11. Blyth (1863:138, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534819) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)
  12. Murray (1866:338, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580334) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  13. Lydekker (1908:35, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741255) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  14. Ward (1910:473, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15016116) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  15. Berger (1910:344, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43615795) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67836)
  16. Groves & Grubb (2011:26) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Rhinoceros Camus

(J. E. Gray, 1827)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

camus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

OUM 8221

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

292

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34790486

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9700)

Rhinoceros Burchellii

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

burchellii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

OUM 8221

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

332

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207799

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:332, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207799) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9700)
  3. Groves & Grubb (2011:26) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Rhinoceros bicornis Var. C. Rhinoceros simus

(Lesson, 1842)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

simum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

159

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:159) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Rhinoceros oswellii

(W. Elliot, 1847)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

oswellii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1853.4.18.1

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

183

Authority publication

Madras Journal of Literature and Science

Rhinoceros oswellii

(J. E. Gray, 1854)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

oswellii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

46

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30747169

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Rhinoceros Kiaboaba

(A. Murray, 1866)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

kiaboaba

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

338

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580334

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Murray (1866:338, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580334) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  2. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9700)
  3. Groves & Grubb (2011:26) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Ceratotherium Oswellii

J. E. Gray, 1869

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

oswellii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

322

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8397241

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Name usages

Gray (1869:322, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8397241) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37331)

Ceratotherium simum

J. E. Gray, 1869

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

simum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

319

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8397238

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Name usages

  1. Gray (1869:319, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8397238) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37331)
  2. Roosevelt & Heller (1914:660, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9360659) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/44022)
  3. Breuning (1922:120) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63257)
  4. Shortridge (1934:425) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69309)
  5. Allen (1939:555, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2782452) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5450)
  6. Hill & Carter (1941:149) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16955)
  7. Shortridge (1942:71, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40888988) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/48770)
  8. Setzer (1956:570, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7489176) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5501)
  9. Arambourg (1970:16, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59814281) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/31326)
  10. Cooke & Coryndon (1970:135) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68316)
  11. Corbet & Hill (1980:115) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  12. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:310, 311) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  13. Corbet & Hill (1991:124) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  14. Grubb (1993:371) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69013)
  15. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9700)
  16. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:678) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  17. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:177) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  18. Groves & Grubb (2011:26) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)
  19. Kingdon & Hoffman (2013:446) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27643)
  20. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #4185) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  21. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #4185) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  22. Faith, Rowan, O'Brien, Blegen & Peppe (2020:5) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/50713)
  23. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006111) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  24. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4185/45813880) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)
  25. Antoine, Becker, Pandolfi & Geraads (2025:44) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/71860)

Atelodus simus var. camptoceros

(J. F. von Brandt, 1878)

Family

Rhinocerotidae

Root name

camptoceros

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

55

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46590392

Authority publication

Mémoires de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg

Name usages

  1. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9700)
  2. Groves & Grubb (2011:26) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

10 more names and synonyms available — use the desktop version to see them all.

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