Ovis

Ovis Linnaeus, 1758 Sheep

Ovis Linnaeus, 1758; Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 70; TS: Ovis aries Linnaeus
Ammon Blainville, 1816; Bull. Soc. Philomat.: 76
Aries
Musmon Schrank, 1798; Fauna Boica, 1: 81
Aeogoceros Pallas, 1811; Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, 1: 230
Argali Gray, 1852; Catal. Ungulate Mammals Brit. Mus.: 174
Caprovis Hodgson, 1847; Journ Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 16: 702
Musimon Pallas, 1786; Spicilegia Zoologica, v. 2, fasc. 2
Pachyceros

Ovis aries aries; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
Ovis; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]

A major contribution to the content of this page comes from [G. Skutâns],proposing either 7 or 5 species conception. I have presented here the 7 speciesconception. The 5 species arrangement is formed byO. musimon = (O. musimon + O. orientalis) andO. canadensis = (O. canadensis + O. dalli).Some information is merged from [MPR] and [LNAM].

Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 Lammas Domesticated Sheep
- Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758; Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 70; TL: Sweden (domesticated)
- Ovis aries; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
(2n-54)
Ovis musimon (Schreber, 1782) Corsica, Sardina, introduced in Europe, Crimea, Morocco. See [maps] European Mouflon
- ?musimon Pallas, 1811; Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat., 1: 230; TL: Italy, Sardinia
- ?corsico-sardinensis
- ?cyprius
- matschiei Düerst, 1905²
- musmon Smith, 1827²
- ?occidentalis; (Corsica)
- occidento-sardinensis Kowarzik, 1913²
- Ovis aries musimon; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis musimon; Turcek, 1956, Säugertierk. Mitt. 4: 167-171
(2n-54)
- O. m. musimon Corsica, Sardinia
- nat. taurica Crimea peninsula
- O. m. sinesella huntsfarms in Europe
  - Ovis musimon sinesella Turcek, 1949; Muflon, Ovis musimon Schr., na Slovensku, Bratislava: (Chechoslovakia, introduced)
Ovis orientalis Gmelin, 1774 S.Turkey, Transcaucasus, W.Iran. See [maps] East Mouflon
- ?armeniana
- ?erskinei
(2n-54)
- O. o. ophion Cyprus
  - Ovis aries ophion; [CoL]
  - Ovis gmelini ophion; [iNaturalist]
- O. o. gmelini Blyth, 1840 Transcaucasus
  - Ovis gmelini gmelini; [iNaturalist]
  - Ovis gmelini; [iNaturalist]
- var. anatolica S.Turkey
- O. o. orientalis Gmelin, 1774 W.Elburz
  - Ovis orientalis orientalis Gmelin, 1774; ; TL: W.Elburz Mts
  - Ovis aries orientalis; [CoL]
- O. o. urmiana Güenther, 1900 Lake Urima - Kojun-Dag insula
- O. o. isphaganica Nasonov, 1913 Esfahan
  - isphahanica
  - Ovis aries isphahanica; [CoL]
  - Ovis gmelini isphahanica; [iNaturalist]
- O. o. laristanica Nasonov, 1909 Laristan
  - Ovis aries laristanica; [CoL]
  - Ovis gmelini laristanica; [iNaturalist]
Ovis vignei Blyth, 1841 E.Elburz, SW.Kazakstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, S. and middle Iran, Banshistan, Punjab, W.Tadzikistan, Uzbekistan, Nuratan Mts, Upper Indus. See [maps] Shapo Urial Arkal
- Ovis vignei Blyth, 1841; Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1840: 70; TL: Kashmir, Astor
- ?dolgopolovi
- ?montana
- ?punjabiensis; (Salt Range
- ?varentsowi; (Kopet Dag)
- Ovis aries vignei; [CoL]
- Ovis vignei arabica; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis vignei bocharensis; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis vignei punjabiensis; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis vignei; [iNaturalist]
(2n-58)
- O. v. cycloceros NE.Iran, S.Turkmenistan, N. and middle Afghanistan Arkal
  - Ovis vignei cycloceros; (Hazara Hills, Afghanistan)
  - Ovis aries cycloceros; [CoL]
  - Ovis vignei cycloceros; [iNaturalist]
- O. v. arcal Ust-Urt - SW.Kazakhstan, N.Turkmenistan Arkal
  - arkal
  - arkar; (Ust Urt)
  - Ovis aries arkal; [CoL]
  - Ovis vignei arkal; [iNaturalist]
- O. v. severtzovi Nuratan Mts, Uzbekistan Arkal
  - Ovis ammon severtzovi; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. v. elbursica E.Elburz Arkal
- O. v. vignei Blyth, 1841 Upper Indus, W.Pamirs - Hindukush, Ladak, Astor, Minor Tibet, Kashmir, NW.Himalayas Shapo
  - Ovis vignei vignei; [iNaturalist]
- O. v. blanfordi Baluchistan, Punjab, SE.Iran, S and middle Iran Urial
- O. v. bochariensis Tadzhikistan Urial
Ovis orientalis orientalis × orientalis elbursica C.Elburz. See [maps]
- vignei × orientalis persica
(55, 56, 57)
Ovis ammon (Linnaeus, 1758) C.Asia. See [maps] Argali
- Capra ammon Linnaeus, 1758; Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 70; TL: Kazakh S.S.R, Altai Mts., Bukhtarma, alternately Ust-Kamenogorsk
- Ovis ammon; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
(2n-56)

Ancestor of domesticated sheep.
- O. a. ammon (Linnaeus, 1758) Altai, Mongolian Altai, W/N/Middle Mongonlia
  - ?typica
  - ?altaica
  - ?argali
  - ?asiaticus
  - ?dauricus
  - ?intermedia
  - ?mongolica Severtzov
  - ?przewalskii
  - Ovis ammon ammon; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. a. jubata Peters E.Tibet - Kingham Mts, China
  - Ovis ammon jubata; [iNaturalist]
- O. a. hodgsoni Blyth, 1941 Himalayas Mts.
  - Ovis ammon hodgsoni Blyth, 1941; ; TL: Tibet
  - ?adametzi; (Lob Nor)
  - ?ammonoides
  - ?bambhera; (Nepal)
  - ?blythi
  - ?brookei; (Ladak)
  - ?comosa
  - ?heurii
  - Ovis ammon comosa; [CoL]
  - Ovis ammon hodgsoni; [iNaturalist]
  - Ovis ammon hodgsonii; [CoL]
- O. a. dalailamae W.Tibet
  - dalailamae; (Sinkiang)
- O. a. kozlovi Nasonov, 1913 S.Mongolia, Transmongolian - Kurhu mts range
- O. a. darwini Kurhu mts range
  - Ovis ammon darwini; (S. Gobi)
  - Ovis ammon darwini; [CoL]
- O. a. poli Pamir, E.Alai, Kokshaal, E.Tien-Shan, Dzungarian Alatau
  - ?Ovis ammon poloi Blyth, 1841; ; TL: Source of Syr Daria, Pamirs
  - ?polii
  - ?typica
  - ?heinsii
  - ?littledalei; (Tien Shan)
  - ?sairensis
  - Ovis ammon polii; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. a. collium Middle E.Kazakhstan, Kazakhiom hill, Tarbagatan, Sair
  - Ovis ammon collium; (Chinghiztau, N. of L. Balkash)
  - Ovis ammon collium; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- nat. karelini N. and middle Kirghistan
  - Ovis ammon nat. karelini; (Alatau)
  - Ovis ammon karelini; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. a. nigrimontana Karatau mts (Kazakhstan)
  - Ovis ammon nigrimontana; (Karatau)
  - Ovis ammon nigrimontana; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
Ovis nivicola Eschscholtz, 1829 E.Siberia. See [maps] Snow Sheep
- Ovis nivicola Eschscholtz, 1829; Zool. Atlas, 1: 1, pl. 1; TL: E.Kamchatka
- ?potanini; (Transbaikalia)
- ?middendorfi
- ?montanus
- ?storcki
- Ovis nivicola kodarensis; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis nivicola lydekkeri; [iNaturalist]
- Ovis nivicola; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
(2n-52)
- O. n. nivicola Escholtz, 1829 Kamchatka
  - Ovis nivicola nivicola; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. n. borealis Putoran mts
  - Ovis nivicola borealis; (Syverma Mts, N. Siberia)
  - Ovis nivicola borealis; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. n. lydeckeri N.Yakutia (Lena - Kolyma)
- nat. alleni Baikal - Pacific
  - Ovis nivicola alleni; [iNaturalist]
- nat. koriakorum Tchernyavsky, 1962 Koriak mts
  - Ovis nivicola koriakorum Tchernyavsky, 1962; Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 145: 1174-1176; TL: Koriak Mts, Upper R. Achay-Vayam, Kamchatka
  - Ovis nivicola koriakorum; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- nat. colymica Kolyma-Chukotka mts
Ovis dalli Nelson, 1884 Alaska, Yukon, N.British Columbia. See [maps] Thinhorn Dall Sheep
- Ovis dalli Nelson, 1884; Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 7: 13; TL: Alaska, W bank of Yukon River
- Ovis dalli; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
768x600 (~154Kb) San Diego Zoo, California, October 1998, Photo © Ralf Schmode

(2n-54)
- O. d. dalli Nelson, 1884 Alaska
  - Ovis montana dalli Nelson, 1884; Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 7: 13; TL: Mountains S. of Fort Yukon, W. bank of Yukon River, Alaska
  - Ovis dalli dalli; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- nat. kenaensis J. A. Allen, 1902 Kenae peninsula
  - Ovis dalli kenaiensis J. A. Allen, 1902; Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 16: 145; TL: Head of Sheep Creek, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
- O. d. stonei J. A. Allen, 1897 N.British Columbia, Canada Black Sheep
  - Ovis stonei J. A. Allen, 1897; Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 9: 111; TL: Che-on-nee Mts, headwaters of Stikine River, British Columbia
  - ?Ovis canadensis liardensis Lydekker, 1898; Wild oxen, sheep and goats of all lands, living and extinct: 215; TL: Liard River, British Columbia
  - ?Ovis cowani Rothschild, 1907; Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1907 (pt. 2): 238; TL: Near Mt. Logan, British Columbia
  - ?Ovis canadensis niger Millais, 1915; in The gun at home and abroad ..., 4: 324; TL: Mts at head of Skeena River, British Columbia
  - Ovis dalli stonei; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. d. fannini Hornaday, 1901 Yukon
  - Ovis fannini Hornaday, 1901; Ann. Rep. New York. Zool. Soc. 1900 (Appendix 1): 2; TL: Dawson City, Yukon
  - Ovis dalli dalli × dalli stonei
Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804 British Columbia, SW.Alberta - Rocky Mts - Mexico. See [maps] Mountain Sheep Bighorn
- Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804; Naturalist's Misc., 51: text to pl. 610; TL: Canada, Alberta, mountains on Bow River, near Exshaw
- Ovis canadensis; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
(2n-54)
- O. c. canadensis Shaw, 1804 M. and S. British Columbia, SW.Alberta, N. and middle Rocky Mts
  - Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804; Naturalist's Misc., 51: pl. 610; TL: Mountains on Bow River, neara Exshaw, Alberta
  - ?Ovis montana True, 1884; Proc. U.S. Nat Mus., 7 (App. Circ. 29): 592
  - ?Nemorhoedus palmeri Cragin, 1900; Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., 11: 611; TL: Cave on Glen Eyrie estate, 5 mil. nw of Colorado springs
  - Ovis canadensis canadensis; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- nat. californiana Douglas, 1829 California
  - Ovis californianus Douglas, 1829; Zool. Journ., 4: 332; TL: Near Mt. Adams, Yakima Co., Wash.
  - ?Ovis cervina sierrae Grinnell, 1912; Univ. California Publ. Zool., 10 (5): 144; TL: E. slope of Mt. Baxter, Sierra Nevada, Inyo Co.,Calif.
  - ?Ovis canadensis samilkameenensis Millais, 1915; in The gun at home and abroad ..., 4: 324; TL: Similkameen Mts, British Columbia
  - ?Ovis dalli elioti Kowarzik, 1913; Zool. Anzeiger, 41: 444 (nom. nud.)
  - Ovis canadensis californiana; [CoL]
  - Ovis canadensis sierrae; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. c. nelsoni Merriam, 1897 SW.Usa, California, Nevada
  - Ovis nelsoni Merriam, 1897; Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 11: 218; TL: Grapevine Mts, boundary betw. Inyo Co., Calif. and Esmeralda Co, Nev. (S. of lat. 37° N)
  - Ovis canadensis nelsoni; [CoL] ; [iNaturalist]
- O. c. mexicana Merriam, 1901 New Mexico, Arizona
  - Ovis mexicanus Merriam, 1901; Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 14: 30; TL: Lago de Santa Maria, Chihuahua, Mexico
  - ?Ovis canadensis gaillardi Mearns, 1907; U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 56 (1): 240; TL: Gila Mountains, Arizona
  - ?Ovis sheldoni Merriam, 1916; Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 29: 130; TL: El Rosario, N.Sonora, Mexico
  - Ovis canadensis mexicana; [CoL]
- O. c. texiana Bailey, 1912 W.Texas
  - Ovis canadensis texiana Bailey, 1912; Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 25: 109; TL: Guadalupe Mts, W.Texas
- O. c. cremnobates Elliot, 1904 Californian peninsula, Mexico
  - Ovis cervina cremnobates Elliot, 1904; Field Columb. Mus. Publ. 87, Zool. Ser., 3 (14): 239; TL: Mattomi, Sierra San Pedro Martir, Baja California, Mexico
  - Ovis canadensis cremnobates; [CoL]
- O. c. weemsi Goldman, 1937 Californian peninsula, Mexico
  - Ovis canadensis weemsi Goldman, 1937; Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 50: 30; TL: Cajon de Tecomaja, Lower California, Mexico
  - Ovis canadensis weemsi; [CoL]
- O. c. auduboni Merriam, 1901
  - Ovis canadensis auduboni Merriam, 1901; Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 14: 14: 31; TL: "Upper Missouri"
  - Ovis canadensis auduboni; [CoL]

19.2.2022 (8)

References:

[CoL] Catalogue of Life
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Vandepitte, L., Hobern, D., Schalk, P., DeWalt, R. E., Ma, K., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Adlard, R., Aedo, C., et al. (2024). Catalogue of Life Checklist (Version 2024-03-26); https://doi.org/10.48580/dfz8d
[G. Skutâns] Riga, Latvia
e-mail: G. Skutâns
[Ralf Schmode]
Geesthacht, Germany; e-mail: Ralf Schmode; More of similar pictures from Ralf Schmode's; Animal Photography Page
[iNaturalist]
iNaturalist
[maps]
Warning! The maps are automatically generated from the textual information, and the process does not always produce acceptable result; See about maps for more info.
[²] This may require parentheses or not (original genus not verified)

Some related literature:

[MPR]; Corbet, 1978
The Mammals of the Palearctic Region: a taxonomic review
Linnaeus, 1758
Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Clases, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Symonymis, Locis. Tomis I. 10th Edition Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : 1-338, : 339-824
Tchernyavsky, 1962
[A new form of snow sheep from the Koryaksky Mountain] Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 145: 1174-1176
Turcek, 1956
Uber den Mufflon, Ovis musimon in der Slowakie (C.S.R) Säugertierk. Mitt. 4: 167-171
[LNAM]; Miller & Kellog, 1955
List of North American Recent Mammals U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 205 : 1-953

If you have corrections, comments or information to add into these pages, just send mail to Markku Savela
Keep in mind that the taxonomic information is copied from various sources, and may include many inaccuracies. Expert help is welcome.

	prev	next	Scientific names	Finnish names	English names
All	Ovibos	Pseudois	Ovis	(ovis)	Sheep

Photo	Ovibos	Hippotragus			Sheep
Goto: