Giraffa camelopardalis

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Northern Giraffe

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Artiodactyla
Suborder : Ruminantia
Infraorder : Pecora
Family : Giraffidae
Genus : Giraffa

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033877

Original name as described

Cervus camelopardalis

Other common names

Giraffe · Nubian Giraffe · Baringo Giraffe · Ugandan Giraffe · Kordofan Giraffe · Rothschild Giraffe · Nigerian Giraffe · West African Giraffe

Type locality

Sennar, Sudan.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Niger · Cameroon · Chad · Central African Republic · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Sudan · South Sudan · Kenya · Uganda

Taxonomy notes

previously included G. giraffa, G. reticulata, and G. tippelskirchi; includes antiquorum and peralta, which were considered distinct by Groves & Grubb 2011; reticulata has been treated as a subspecies of G. campelopardalis by some recent authors, although it appears to be better recognized as a distinct species based on the most recent publications using whole genome data; 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

Groves, C. P. & Grubb, P. 2011. Ungulate taxonomy. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. · Winter, S., Fennessy, J., & Janke, A. (2018). Limited introgression supports division of giraffe into four species. Ecology and evolution, 8(20), 10156-10165. · Petzold, A., & Hassanin, A. (2020). A comparative approach for species delimitation based on multiple methods of multi-locus DNA sequence analysis: A case study of the genus Giraffa (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla). PloS one, 15(2), e0217956. · Coimbra, R. T., Winter, S., Kumar, V., Koepfli, K. P., Gooley, R. M., Dobrynin, P., ... & Janke, A. (2021). Whole-genome analysis of giraffe supports four distinct species. Current Biology.

IUCN Red List status

Vulnerable

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006340

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.

Giraffa camelopardalis peralta

O. Thomas, 1898

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

peralta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1898.2.18.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/58c94252-bc57-4bb7-9ab3-3029bd4f0b79

Authority page

40

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30952339

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:356, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741576) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  3. Schwarz (1920:893, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763864) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  4. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  5. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:801) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  6. Groves & Grubb (2011:69) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi

Lydekker, 1903

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

rothschildi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1903.4.15.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/1e3108e2-cf68-402e-85ff-3c7c9f4b4810 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/7aff8281-f143-416f-a960-8b80d3f5d933 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b39b8501-4fca-4a0f-8d00-13d6d3c8c842

Authority page

122

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:358, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741578) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Allen (1909:157) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16003)
  3. Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  4. Schwarz (1920:899, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  5. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  6. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:801) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  7. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Giraffa camelopardalis cottoni

Lydekker, 1904

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

cottoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1904.1.21.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ce899221-c943-44ba-b9eb-47b24aebfcbc

Authority page

207

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31887282

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:360, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741580) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  3. Schwarz (1920:899, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  4. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  5. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Giraffa camelopardalis congoensis

Lydekker, 1903

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

congoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

RMCA 452

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

83

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:364, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741584) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  3. Schwarz (1920:899, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  4. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  5. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Camelopardalis antiquorum

(Swainson, 1835)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

antiquorum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

SMF:MAMM:498

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

187

Authority publication

Naturalist's Library

Name usages

  1. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  2. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Camelopardalis giraffa var. reticulata

(Weinland, 1863)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

reticulata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

fully_suppressed

Type

SMF:MAMM:498

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

205

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/55557847

Authority publication

Zoologische Garten (Jena)

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Giraffa camelopardalis

Lesson, 1827

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

camelopardalis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

369

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207836

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:369, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207836) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Gray (1852:181, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12956594) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35535)
  3. Gray (1872:65, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8707832) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38721)
  4. Matschie (1895:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14835496) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67260)
  5. Lydekker (1908:350, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741570) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  6. Allen (1909:157) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16003)
  7. Ward (1910:115, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015758) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  8. Roberts (1913:104, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439562) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)
  9. Schwarz (1920:893, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763864) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  10. Corbet & Hill (1980:121) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  11. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:325) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  12. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  13. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:801) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)
  14. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)
  15. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #9194) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  16. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #9194) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  17. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006340) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  18. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/9194/136266699) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum

Lydekker, 1908

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

antiquorum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

356

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741576

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:356, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741576) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)
  3. Schwarz (1920:898, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763869) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  4. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:801) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)

Giraffa camelopardalis typicus

J. R. Ward, 1910

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

typicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

116

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Ward (1910:116, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15015759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39628)

Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis

E. Schwarz, 1920

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

camelopardalis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

899

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763870

Authority publication

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

Name usages

  1. Schwarz (1920:899, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44763870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39012)
  2. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2011:801) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67176)

Giraffa antiquorum

Groves & Grubb, 2011

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

antiquorum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

68

Authority publication

book

Name usages

Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Giraffa peralta

Groves & Grubb, 2011

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

peralta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

69

Authority publication

book

Name usages

Groves & Grubb (2011:69) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Cervus camelopardalis

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

camelopardalis

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

66

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033877

Authority publication

Stockholm

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:294, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873091) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Groves & Grubb (2011:68) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

Camelopardalis giraffa

(J. F. Gmelin, 1788)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

giraffa

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

181

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25751401

Authority publication

Leipzig

Camelopardalis africana

(de Lacépède, 1799)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

africana

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

14

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Camelo-pardalis girafa

(É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

girafa

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

256

Authority publication

Paris

Camelopardalis Æthiopicus

(W. Ogilby, 1837)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

aethiopica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

134

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30570861

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Camelopardalis biturigum

(Duvernoy, 1844)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

biturigum

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

47

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13407162

Authority publication

Annales des sciences naturelles

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Camelopardalis girafa Æthiopica

(Sundevall, 1846)

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

aethiopica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

175

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47392271

Authority publication

Kunglika Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Giraffa senaariensis

Trouessart, 1898

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

senaariensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

902

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53436113

Authority publication

Berlin

Name usages

Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Giraffa camelopardalis typica

Bryden, 1899

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

typica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

489

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37141737

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:355, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741575) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)

Giraffa camelopardalis renatae

Krumbiegel, 1971

Family

Giraffidae

Root name

renatae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

93

Authority publication

Wittenberg

Name usages

  1. Grubb (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8535)
  2. Groves & Grubb (2011:69) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/30388)

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